age ( j)n.1. The length of time that one has existed; duration of life: 23 years of age. 2. The time of life when a person becomes qualified to assume certain civil and personal rights and responsibilities, usually at 18 or 21 years; legal age: under age; of age. 3. One of the stages of life: the age of adolescence; at an awkward age. 4. The state of being old; old age: hair white with age. 5. often Agea. A period in the history of humankind marked by a distinctive characteristic or achievement: the Stone Age; the computer age. b. A period in the history of the earth, usually shorter than an epoch: the Ice Age. c. A period of time marked by the presence or influence of a dominant figure: the Elizabethan Age. See Synonyms at period. 6. a. The period of history during which a person lives: a product of his age. b. A generation: ages yet unborn. 7. ages Informal An extended period of time: left ages ago. v. aged, ag·ing, ag·es v.tr.1. To cause to become old. 2. To cause to mature or ripen under controlled conditions: aging wine. 3. To change (the characteristics of a device) through use, especially to stabilize (an electronic device). v.intr.1. To become old. 2. To manifest traits associated with old age. 3. To develop a certain quality of ripeness; become mature: cheese aging at room temperature. See Synonyms at mature. Phrasal Verb: age out Informal To reach an age, 18 or 21 years, for example, at which one is no longer eligible for certain special services, such as education or protection, from the state. Idiom: come of age To reach maturity.
[Middle English, from Old French aage, from Vulgar Latin *aetticum, from Latin aets, aett-, age; see aiw- in Indo-European roots.]
ag er n. |
age Noun 1. the length of time that a person or thing has existed 2. a period or state of human life 3. the latter part of human life 4. a period of history marked by some feature 5. ages Informal a long time 6. come of age to become legally responsible for one's actions (usually at 18 years) Verb ageing or aging, aged 1. to become old: skin type changes as one ages 2. to appear or cause to appear older: the years had not aged her in any way [Latin aetas]
Agediscrimination on the basis of age, especially against older people. the process of making antiquated or the condition of being antiquated. coevalneity. — coetaneous, adj. the state or quality of being alike in age or duration; contemporaneity. Also called coetaneity. — coeval, aadj. the condition of being junior, as in age, rank, or position. the state of being in one’s forties. — quadragenarian, n., adj. — quadragenary, adj. the state of being in one’s fifties. — quinquagenarian, n., adj. — quinquagenary, adj. the state of being in one’s sixties. — sexagenarian, n., adj. — sexagenary, adj.
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms | Noun | 1. |  age - how long something has existed; "it was replaced because of its age"property - a basic or essential attribute shared by all members of a class; "a study of the physical properties of atomic particles" chronological age - age measured by the time (years and months) that something or someone has existed; "his chronological age was 71 years" bone age - a person's age measured by matching their bone development (as shown by X rays) with bone development of an average person of known chronological age developmental age - a measure of a child's development (in body size or motor skill or psychological function) expressed in terms of age norms mental age - the level of intellectual development as measured by an intelligence test oldness - the quality of being old; the opposite of newness newness - the quality of being new; the opposite of oldness oldness - the opposite of youngness | | 2. |  age - an era of history having some distinctive feature; "we live in a litigious age"history - the aggregate of past events; "a critical time in the school's history" epoch, era - a period marked by distinctive character or reckoned from a fixed point or event antiquity - the historic period preceding the Middle Ages in Europe golden age - any period (sometimes imaginary) of great peace and prosperity and happiness Jazz Age - the 1920s in the United States characterized in the novels of F. Scott Fitzgerald as a period of wealth, youthful exuberance, and carefree hedonism reign - the period during which a monarch is sovereign; "during the reign of Henry VIII" | | 3. | age - a time of life (usually defined in years) at which some particular qualification or power arises; "she was now of school age"; "tall for his eld"life-time, lifespan, lifetime, life - the period during which something is functional (as between birth and death); "the battery had a short life"; "he lived a long and happy life" time of life - a period of time during which a person is normally in a particular life state age of consent - the minimum age for marrying without parental consent or the minimum age for consensual sexual relations; intercourse at an earlier age can result in a charge of assault or statutory rape; the age differs in different states of the Union legal age, majority - the age at which persons are considered competent to manage their own affairs drinking age - the age at which is legal for a person to buy alcoholic beverages voting age - the age at which a person is old enough to vote in public elections | | 4. |  age - a prolonged period of time; "we've known each other for ages"; "I haven't been there for years and years"period, period of time, time period - an amount of time; "a time period of 30 years"; "hastened the period of time of his recovery"; "Picasso's blue period" month of Sundays - a time perceived as long; "I hadn't seen him in a month of Sundays" eon, aeon - an immeasurably long period of time; "oh, that happened eons ago" blue moon - a long time; "something that happens once in blue moon almost never happens" year dot - as long ago as anyone can remember; "he has been a conductor since the year dot" | | 5. |  age - a late time of life; "old age is not for sissies"; "he's showing his years"; "age hasn't slowed him down at all"; "a beard white with eld"; "on the brink of geezerhood"time of life - a period of time during which a person is normally in a particular life state | | Verb | 1. | age - begin to seem older; get older; "The death of his wife caused him to age fast"develop - grow, progress, unfold, or evolve through a process of evolution, natural growth, differentiation, or a conducive environment; "A flower developed on the branch"; "The country developed into a mighty superpower"; "The embryo develops into a fetus"; "This situation has developed over a long time" | | 2. | age - grow old or older; "She aged gracefully"; "we age every day--what a depressing thought!"; "Young men senesce"turn - become officially one year older; "She is turning 50 this year" develop - grow, progress, unfold, or evolve through a process of evolution, natural growth, differentiation, or a conducive environment; "A flower developed on the branch"; "The country developed into a mighty superpower"; "The embryo develops into a fetus"; "This situation has developed over a long time" dote - be foolish or senile due to old age | | 3. | age - make older; "The death of his child aged him tremendously"alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue" rejuvenate - make younger or more youthful; "The contact with his grandchildren rejuvenated him" |
age noun 2. old age, experience, maturity, completion, seniority, fullness, majority, maturation, senility, decline, advancing years, declining years, senescence, full growth, matureness << OPPOSITE youth plural noun 4. ( Informal) a long time or while, years, centuries, for ever ( informal) aeons, donkey's years ( informal) yonks ( informal) a month of Sundays ( informal) an age or eternity  Translations age [eɪdʒ] n → edad f (= old age); vejez f (= period); épocahe is 20 years of age → tiene 20 años; it's been ages since I saw you → hace siglos que no te veo
 age [eɪdʒ] n → âge mwhat age is he? → quel âge a-t-il?; he is 20 years of age → il a 20 ans;
 age [eɪdʒ] n → Alter nt; 20 years of age → 20 Jahre alt;
 age [eɪdʒ] n → età f invwhat age is he? → quanti anni ha?; he is 20 years of age → ha 20 anni; it's been ages since ... → sono secoli che ...
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