# elderly

Pronunciation: US say "EL-dur-lee" /ˈɛldɚli/; UK say "EL-duh-lee" /ˈɛldəli/

## Adjective

1. Old, having lived a relatively large number of years.
   - Simple: Having lived for many years and now fairly old.
   - _Several elderly residents gathered in the lounge for the afternoon concert._
   - _Caring for an elderly parent can be both rewarding and exhausting._
3. Of an object: old-fashioned or frail as a result of aging.
   - Simple: Old-fashioned or worn out because a thing has gotten old.
   - _The lab still runs on an elderly computer that struggles with modern software._
   - _An elderly tractor rusted quietly behind the barn._

## Noun

2. Older people considered together as a single group.
   - Simple: Older people thought of as one large group.
   - _Government policy increasingly focuses on the needs of the elderly._
   - _Volunteers deliver hot meals to the elderly all across the county._

## Noun

4. A person who is old, regarded as an individual. *(rare)*
   - Simple: A person who is quite old.
   - _An elderly approached the counter, asking for directions to the clinic._
   - _Two elderlies shared a quiet table at the back of the café._

## Origin

Formed from "elder" combined with the suffix "-ly".

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/elderly (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).