# aged

/ˈeɪdʒd/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/aged
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. having a specific age

adjective · CEFR A2

having a certain age.

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

- The course is designed for children aged five to seven.
- 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.

### 2. very old

adjective · CEFR B1

very old.

For teachers: having lived or existed for a long time; elderly.

- He spent the afternoon caring for his aged parents.
- The aged professor still visited the library every morning, though he no longer taught formal seminars.

Teaching tip: In this sense, 'aged' is often pronounced with two syllables (ay-jid).

### 3. matured over time

adjective · CEFR B2

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

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

- This aged cheddar has a very strong and sharp flavour.
- The steak was prepared using beef that had been dry-aged for twenty-eight days to enhance its tenderness and depth of flavour.

### 4. old people as a group

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal

old people as a group.

For teachers: old people considered collectively as a social group.

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

## Examples

- The government is building new homes for the aged.
- The charity provides essential services like meal delivery and home repairs for the aged in our community.
- Societal attitudes toward the aged vary significantly across cultures, with some traditions prioritising ancestral wisdom while others focus on the logistical challenges of geriatric care.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.