elderly */*/*/

elderly */*/*/
UK [ˈeldə(r)lɪ] / US [ˈeldərlɪ] adjective
an elderly person is old. Many people now think that this word is offensive but it is often used in talking about policies and conditions that affect old people

An elderly gentleman was standing at the reception desk.

Not all elderly people can live with their relatives.

This treatment is unsuitable for patients who are elderly and frail.

a) the elderly old people. Many people now think that this expression is offensive.
See:
old
b) British used about a car or machine that looks old-fashioned or does not work as well as it used to

He was driving an elderly white Mercedes.


English dictionary. 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • elderly — [el′dər lē] adj. 1. somewhat old; past middle age; approaching old age 2. quite old; already in old age; aged 3. not current; outmoded the elderly elderly people as a group elderliness n …   English World dictionary

  • Elderly — Eld er*ly, a. Somewhat old; advanced beyond middle age; bordering on old age; as, elderly people. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • elderly — I adjective advanced in years, aetate provectus, aged, along in years, hoary, matured, old, seasoned, senescent II index old Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • elderly — 1610s, from ELDER (Cf. elder) + LY (Cf. ly) (1). O.E. ealdorlic meant chief, princely, excellent, authentic. O.E. also had related eldernliche of old time, lit. forefatherly …   Etymology dictionary

  • elderly — old, *aged, superannuated Antonyms: youthful …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • elderly — [adj] in old age aged, aging, ancient, been around*, declining, gray*, hoary, long in tooth*, lot of mileage*, no spring chicken*, old, olden, on last leg*, over the hill*, retired, tired, venerable; concepts 578,797 Ant. young, youth …   New thesaurus

  • elderly — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ old or ageing. DERIVATIVES elderliness noun …   English terms dictionary

  • elderly — 01. Many [elderly] people in this country live very active, independent lives. 02. Snowstorms are especially difficult for the [elderly], who often have trouble walking in snow. 03. In the apartment above us, there is an [elderly] couple who have …   Grammatical examples in English

  • elderly — [[t]e̱ldə(r)li[/t]] ♦♦♦ 1) ADJ GRADED (politeness) You use elderly as a polite way of saying that someone is old. There was an elderly couple on the terrace... Many of those most affected are elderly. N PLURAL: the N The elderly are people who… …   English dictionary

  • elderly — eld|er|ly [ eldərli ] adjective *** an elderly person is old. Many people now think that this word is offensive but it is often used in talking about policies and conditions that affect old people: An elderly gentleman was standing at the hotel… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

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