elderly
- Top 3000
Sense 1
- adjective
- A2
A polite way of saying that a person is old, usually past the age when people stop working.
An elderly neighbour asked me to reach the top shelf.
The driver waited patiently until the elderly passenger sat down.
Elderly patients usually need a longer appointment with the doctor.
An elderly couple opened the little bookshop forty years ago.
Common collocations: elderly people · an elderly man · an elderly couple · an elderly relative · elderly patients
Part of: Life events, Appearance, At the doctor's
Sense 2 · less common
- noun
- B1
With 'the' in front of it, all old people thought of together as one group.
The town offers free winter transport for the elderly.
Volunteers deliver hot meals to the elderly every single day.
Spending on care for the elderly has risen sharply.
Common collocations: care for the elderly · the elderly and the sick · services for the elderly · help the elderly
Part of: Life events, Public offices, At the doctor's