senile

se·nile  (snl, snl)

adj.

1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of old age.

2. Relating to or exhibiting memory loss or mental impairment associated with aging.

3. Geology Worn away nearly to the base level, as at the end of an erosion cycle.

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[Latin senlis, from senex, sen-, old; see sen- in Indo-European roots.]

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senilely adv.

Word History: In earlier writings one finds phrases such as "a senile maturity of judgment" and "green and vigorous senility," demonstrating that senile and senility have not always been burdened with their current negative connotations. These two words are examples of pejoration, the process by which a word's meaning changes for the worse over time. Even though senile (first recorded in 1661) and senility (first recorded in 1778) initially had neutral senses such as "pertaining to old age" (the sense of their Latin source, the adjective senlis), it is probable that the mental decline that sometimes accompanies old age eventually caused negative senses to predominate. Although recent medical research has demonstrated that the memory and cognitive disorders once designated by senility are often caused by various diseases rather than the aging process itself, it seems unlikely that the word will regain its neutral senses.

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senile

Adjective

mentally or physically weak or infirm on account of old age [Latin senex an old man]

senility n

Thesaurus

Adj.

1.

senile - mentally or physically infirm with age; "his mother was doddering and frail" doddering, doddery, gaga old - (used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age; "his mother is very old"; "a ripe old age"; "how old are you?"

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senile

adjective doddering, doting, decrepit, failing, imbecile, gaga (informal) in your dotage, in your second childhood

USAGE Words such as senile and geriatric are only properly used as medical terms. They are very insulting when used loosely to describe a person of advanced years. Care should be taken when using old and its synonyms, as they can all potentially cause offence.

Translations

senile [ˈsiːnaɪl] adj → senil

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senile [ˈsiːnaɪl] adj → sénile

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senile [ˈsiːnaɪl] adj → senil

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senile [ˈsiːnaɪl] adj → senile

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senile

adj senile [ˈsiːnail]

showing the feebleness or childishness of old age a senile old woman. seniel هَرِم أو خَرِف изкуфял senilní senil senil γεροξεκούτης, ξεμωραμένος senil seniilne مربوط به كهولت seniili sénile סֶנִילִי जरा, जराजन्य, जरासूचक podjetinjio, senilan szenilis uzur ellihrumur/-ær senile 老衰の 노쇠한, 망령든 nusenęs, iškaršęs senils; bērna prātā nyanyuk seniel senil zgrzybiały, starczy senil senil дряхлый; впавший в старческое слабоумие senilný senilen senilan senil จิตใจและร่างกายอ่อนแอลงเพราะความชรา bunamış, bunak 老年的, 衰老的 старечий; старезний بڑھاپے کے آثار والا lão suy 老年的, 衰老的

n seˈnility [səˈni-]

seniliteit شَيْخوخَه، هَرَم، خَرَف изкуфялост senilita senilitet die Senilität γεροντική άνοια senilidad seniilsus سالمندي vanhuudenheikkous sénilité סֶנִילִיוּת बुढ़ा़पा, जराजीर्णता staraštvo, senilnost szenilitás keuzuran ellihrumleiki; elli senilità 老衰 노쇠, 노망 iškaršimas senilitāte kenyanyukan seniliteit senilitet, aldersdemens zgrzybiałość senilidade senilitate дряхлость;старческое слабоумие senilita senilnost senilnost senilitet ชราภาพ bunaklık 衰老 старість; старезність کہولت tình trạng lão suy 衰老