octogenarian

noun

oc·​to·​ge·​nar·​i·​an ˌäk-tə-jə-ˈner-ē-ən How to pronounce octogenarian (audio)
: a person whose age is in the eighties
The octogenarian uses a cane for walking.
octogenarian adjective

Examples of octogenarian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Tate, the Republican octogenarian, wasn’t the first to utter an obscenity. Julia Prodis Sulek, The Mercury News, 3 Nov. 2024 The octogenarian now has his own museum in Arles, France, and this past August a six-decade survey of his work opened at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney. Pablo Larios, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2024 Upon arriving at a nearby local hospital, doctors determined that the octogenarian had suffered a heart attack. Anna Lazarus Caplan, People.com, 21 Oct. 2024 Two days later, Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt and appeared, for the moment, an indestructible electoral force, barely challenged by the sclerotic octogenarian in the White House. Nate Jones, Vulture, 20 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for octogenarian 

Word History

Etymology

Latin octogenarius containing eighty, from octogeni eighty each, from octoginta eighty, from octo eight + -ginta (akin to viginti twenty) — more at vigesimal

First Known Use

1815, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of octogenarian was in 1815

Dictionary Entries Near octogenarian

Cite this Entry

“Octogenarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/octogenarian. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

octogenarian

noun
oc·​to·​ge·​nar·​i·​an ˌäk-tə-jə-ˈner-ē-ən How to pronounce octogenarian (audio)
: a person whose age is between 80 and 89

Medical Definition

octogenarian

noun
oc·​to·​ge·​nar·​i·​an ˌäk-tə-jə-ˈner-ē-ən How to pronounce octogenarian (audio)
: a person whose age is in the eighties
octogenarian adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on octogenarian

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!