ENGLISH
REFERENCE

aged

adj. · n.
US //ˈeɪdʒd// aged
  1. 1 having a specific age (adj.)
    A2 Elementary

    having a certain age.

    having the age of; used to specify a person's age at a particular time.

    Example

    The course is designed for children aged five to seven.

    Example

    The study followed a group of participants aged eighteen to twenty-five over a period of three years to track their career development.

    Usage

    Usually follows the noun it describes.
    • years old
    Pitfall
    He has a son aged of ten.
    He has a son aged ten.

    Do not use 'of' after 'aged' when stating a specific number.

  2. 2 very old (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    very old.

    having lived or existed for a long time; elderly.

    Example

    He spent the afternoon caring for his aged parents.

    Example

    The aged professor still visited the library every morning, though he no longer taught formal seminars.

    Teacher's tip

    In this sense, 'aged' is often pronounced with two syllables (ay-jid).
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  1. 3 matured over time (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Cooking

    left for a long time to improve the taste, like cheese or wine.

    having undergone a process of maturation to improve quality or flavour.

    Example

    This aged cheddar has a very strong and sharp flavour.

    Example

    The steak was prepared using beef that had been dry-aged for twenty-eight days to enhance its tenderness and depth of flavour.
  2. 4 old people as a group (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Formal

    old people as a group.

    old people considered collectively as a social group.

    Example

    The government is looking for new ways to provide healthcare for the aged.

    Example

    The charity focuses on providing social opportunities for the aged who live alone in rural communities.

    Usage

    Always used with 'the' as a collective plural noun.
    • the young

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