aging
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.the natural process of growing older as a person, animal, or plant.
n.the biological process of growing older, involving the accumulation of changes in a human, animal, or plant over time.
Simple“Regular exercise and a healthy diet can help slow down the effects of aging.”
In context“The research team is investigating how cellular aging contributes to the development of chronic diseases in the elderly population.”
Synonymsmaturationsenescence - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.the process of letting food or drink, like cheese or wine, sit for a long time to improve its taste.
n.the deliberate storage of food or beverages under controlled conditions to develop desired flavours or textures.
Simple“The aging of this cheddar cheese takes at least twelve months to get the best flavour.”
In context“The distillery prides itself on a traditional aging process, using charred oak barrels to impart a distinct smoky character to the whiskey.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
n.the act of making something new look old, like furniture or clothes.
n.the intentional treatment of a surface or object to give it the appearance of age or wear.
Simple“The set designer used special paint for the aging of the new wooden chairs.”
In context“The restoration expert applied a specific chemical wash to achieve the subtle aging required to match the new panels with the original seventeenth-century woodwork.”
Synonyms - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.getting older or appearing to be old.
adj.approaching old age or showing signs of being old; often used to describe a population or a piece of machinery.
Simple“The city needs more services to support its aging population.”
In context“The company is struggling to maintain its aging infrastructure, which has become increasingly prone to technical failures and high maintenance costs.”
“It might instead be a regular feature of human aging.”
“Experiences like these are common among people caring for ageing parents.”
By surface analysis, age + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.