aged

aged — adjective

1. used straight after a noun, plus a number, to state how many years old that pers

1.adjectiveA2
Definition

used straight after a noun, plus a number, to state how many years old that person or thing is.

Example

Mei has two lively daughters aged 7 and 10 at home.

[noun] aged [number]

The driver, aged 42, was not hurt in the crash.

comma-bracketed: [noun], aged [number],

Common collocations
  • aged between X and Y
  • aged X or over
  • aged X or under
  • children aged
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

[noun] aged [number]

aged between [number] and [number]

Usage Note

Pronounced as ONE syllable /eɪdʒd/ in this sense. Always followed by a number (or 'between X and Y'); cannot stand alone before a noun — say 'a man aged 40', not 'an aged 40 man'.

Common Mistakes

She is an aged 30 woman.
She is a woman aged 30.
the [aged + number] phrase follows the noun, it does not sit before it.
My son is aged.
My son is aged 5.
this sense needs a number; without one, 'aged' shifts to the 'very old' meaning.

2. having lived for many years and now near the end of life; describes a person, an

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

having lived for many years and now near the end of life; describes a person, animal, or thing that looks or feels very old.

Example

Lucia takes care of her aged grandmother every weekend.

aged + family member

An aged spaniel slept peacefully by the kitchen fire all afternoon.

aged + animal

Common collocations
  • aged parents
  • aged relative
  • aged grandmother
  • aged dog
Synonyms
  • elderly

    more polite and far more common in everyday speech

  • old

    neutral, plain, suits any register

  • ancient

    stronger and often humorous; for things or jokingly for people

Antonyms
  • young

    general opposite for people and animals

  • youthful

    describes appearance or energy that seems young

Grammar Patterns

aged + [noun]

be aged

Usage Note

Pronounced as TWO syllables /ˈeɪ.dʒɪd/ in this sense (compare sense 1, one syllable). Belongs to a formal or literary register; in everyday speech use 'old', 'very old', or 'elderly' instead.

Common Mistakes

My aged uncle just turned 40.
My uncle, aged 40, just had a birthday.
'aged' (two syllables) suggests great age, not a specific young number.
He is so aged.
He is very elderly.
in casual conversation, 'elderly' or 'old' sounds more natural than 'aged'.

aged — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/2

All four words describe someone or something that has lived a long time, but the register and tone differ sharply. 'Old' is the plain, neutral choice and works in any situation, from 'an old book' to 'my old dog'. 'Elderly' is the polite, everyday way to talk about people in their later years — most Taiwanese learners should reach for 'elderly' first. 'Aged' (two syllables) feels formal or literary; you meet it in news reports, charity appeals, and novels rather than chat. 'Ancient' is the strongest and often playful: 'my ancient laptop still works' suggests a comic level of age. So you might say 'My elderly neighbour walks slowly', 'In one corner sat an aged scholar surrounded by books', and 'He drives an ancient van that rattles down the road'.

aged ↗elderly ↗old ↗ancient ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • children aged
  • people aged
  • adults aged
  • visitors aged

Phrases

  • aged X or over
  • aged X or under
  • aged X to Y

Prepositions

  • aged between
  • aged from

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Aged' grew out of the verb 'age', meaning 'to grow older', which itself came from Old French 'aage' (modern 'âge'), a noun that traced back to Latin 'aetas', meaning 'a period of life or time'. By the 1400s English speakers were using 'aged' two ways: as a one-syllable past participle attached to a number ('a man aged twenty'), and as a two-syllable adjective meaning 'old' ('an aged king'). Both forms survive today, and the split pronunciation still tells the two senses apart.