Word
elderly
Phoneticsel·der·ly, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɛɫdɝɫi/
UK/ˈɛldəli/
Definitions
01old (polite)
B1 · Intermediate
adj. a respectful way to say that someone is old.
adj. having lived for a relatively long time; used as a more respectful or formal alternative to 'old' when referring to people.
“The young woman gave up her seat on the bus for an elderly passenger.”
“The physician noted that elderly patients often require different dosages of medication compared to younger adults due to changes in metabolism.”
Pitfall
He is an elderly.
He is an elderly man.
In the singular, 'elderly' is an adjective and needs a noun like 'man' or 'person' after it.
02older people as a group
B2 · Upper Intermediate Plural noun Formal
n. older people as a group, usually used with 'the'.
n. older people considered as a collective group; functions as a plural noun following the definite article.
“The government is promising better healthcare services for the elderly.”
“Social workers are increasingly concerned about the isolation experienced by the elderly in rural communities where public transport is limited.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “elderly” in context.
Verb
01. look after elderly parents
“She decided to work part-time so she could look after her elderly parents.”
verb + prep + adj + noun
02. support the elderly
“Volunteers visit the community center twice a week to support the elderly with their grocery shopping.”
verb + noun
Adjective
03. elderly relatives
“During the holidays, many people travel long distances to visit their elderly relatives.”
adj + noun
04. frail elderly
“The charity provides specialized home care services for the frail elderly in our community.”
adj + noun
05. increasingly elderly
“The country is facing new economic challenges due to its increasingly elderly population.”
adv + adj
Noun
06. care for the elderly
“The government is debating how to fund better social care for the elderly.”
noun + prep + noun
07. elderly residents
“The local fire department conducted a safety drill for all the elderly residents of the home.”
noun + noun
08. needs of the elderly
“Architects must consider the specific physical needs of the elderly when designing public spaces.”
noun + of + noun
Confusables
Elderly is a polite, formal term for people in late life, while old is a direct, neutral descriptor for anything that has existed for a long time.
RememberElderly = Respectful for people. Old = Direct for everything.
Real-World Examples
“His father moved them to Fuencaliente, in Ciudad Real, where they lived in extreme poverty, leading him to sell his son to an elderly goatherd in the mountains.” “Hospitals and GP surgeries are offering frail elderly patients appointments at the start and end of the day, when it is less hot, to make it easier for them to attend.” Etymology
From elder + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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