septuagenarian

noun

sep·​tu·​a·​ge·​nar·​i·​an (ˌ)sep-ˌtü-ə-jə-ˈner-ē-ən How to pronounce septuagenarian (audio)
-ˌtyü-,
-ˌchü-
: a person whose age is in the seventies
septuagenarian adjective

Examples of septuagenarian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web All the same, there was something undeniably poignant about the sight of Hütter, now 77, cutting a dignified figure in his Spandex suit, his rare unprocessed vocals now sounding very much like the voice of a septuagenarian. Andrew Barker, Variety, 22 May 2024 Michael Lee Evans The Texas septuagenarian was arrested in December 2023 after seven rounds of 9 mm ammunition was found in his luggage, police said. Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 21 May 2024 Minter, an auburn-haired septuagenarian wearing Converse sneakers, clutched her camera and leaned forward in a rolling office chair. Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2024 For every human septuagenarian suddenly struggling with fading eyesight, brittle bones, and an inexplicable taste for Tony Bennett, there's an aging dog experiencing many of the same problems. Jeffrey Kluger, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019 These sure don’t look like a septuagenarian’s earlobes: zero droop, no unsightly hair. Jay Katsir, The New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2023 There is no evidence that Walton actually attended any of the Boulder shows, but his spirit looms over us, a logical outcome for a 7-foot septuagenarian in flamboyant color. Jeff Weiss, Spin, 21 Aug. 2023 Our hero is Bob Comet, a septuagenarian who has spent most of his life with books, as a public librarian in Portland, Ore., and now, in retirement, as a devoted reader. Sam Sacks, WSJ, 30 June 2023 Now five seasons old, The Constructivists also have taken a step up in ambition by casting local veteran James Pickering as David, the latest in a run of wild, unhinged and indecorous old men the septuagenarian has brought to life on stage. Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'septuagenarian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin septuagenarius seventy years old, from Latin, of or containing seventy, from septuageni seventy each, from septuaginta

First Known Use

1744, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of septuagenarian was in 1744

Dictionary Entries Near septuagenarian

Cite this Entry

“Septuagenarian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/septuagenarian. Accessed 28 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

septuagenarian

noun
sep·​tu·​a·​ge·​nar·​i·​an (ˌ)sep-ˌt(y)ü-ə-jə-ˈner-ē-ən How to pronounce septuagenarian (audio)
ˌsep-tə-ˌwaj-ə-
: a person who is 70 or more but less than 80 years old
septuagenarian adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on septuagenarian

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