oldest

[ ohl-dist ]

/ ˈoʊl dɪst /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR oldest ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

a superlative of old.

Words nearby oldest

olde-worlde, olden, oldenbarneveldt, oldenburg, older, oldest, oldfangled, oldfield, oldham, oldie, oldish

Definition for oldest (2 of 2)

old

[ ohld ]

/ oʊld /

adjective, old·er, old·est or eld·er, eld·est.

far advanced in the years of one's or its life: an old man; an old horse; an old tree.

of or relating to the latter part of the life or term of existence of a person or thing: old age.

as if or appearing to be far advanced in years: Worry had made him old.

having lived or existed for a specified time: a man 30 years old; a century-old organization.

having lived or existed as specified with relation to younger or newer persons or things: Jim is our oldest boy.

having been aged for a specified time: This whiskey is eight years old.

having been aged for a comparatively long time: old brandy.

long known or in use: the same old excuse.

overfamiliar to the point of tedium: Some jokes get old fast.

belonging to the past: the good old days.

having been in existence since the distant past: a fine old family.

no longer in general use: This typewriter is an old model.

acquired, made, or in use by one prior to the acquisition, making, or use of something more recent: When the new house was built, we sold the old one.

of, relating to, or originating at an earlier period or date: old maps.

prehistoric; ancient: There may have been an old land bridge between Asia and Alaska.

(initial capital letter) (of a language) in its oldest known period, as attested by the earliest written records: Old Czech.

experienced: He's an old hand at welding.

of long standing; having been such for a comparatively long time: an old and trusted employee.

(of colors) dull, faded, or subdued: old rose.

deteriorated through age or long use; worn, decayed, or dilapidated: old clothes.

Physical Geography. (of landforms) far advanced in reduction by erosion or the like.

sedate, sensible, mature, or wise: That child seems old beyond his years.

(used to indicate affection, familiarity, disparagement, or a personalization): good old Bob; that dirty old jalopy.

Informal. (used as an intensive) great; uncommon: a high old time.

former; having been so formerly: a dinner for his old students.

noun

(used with a plural verb) old persons collectively (usually preceded by the): appropriations to care for the old.

a person or animal of a specified age or age group (used in combination): a class for six-year-olds; a horse race for three-year-olds.

old or former time, often time long past: days of old.

Origin of old

before 900; Middle English; Old English eald, ald; cognate with Dutch old, German alt, Gothic altheis; akin to Old Norse ala to nourish

SYNONYMS FOR old

1 Old, aged, elderly all mean well along in years. An old person has lived long, nearly to the end of the usual period of life. An aged person is very far advanced in years, and is usually afflicted with the infirmities of age. An elderly person is somewhat old, but usually has the mellowness, satisfactions, and joys of age ahead.

9 olden, early.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR old ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR old

1 young.

SEE ANTONYMS FOR old ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM old

old·ness, noun

Example sentences from the Web for oldest

Average age ranges from 45 to 65, with her youngest client at 18 and the oldest in her 80s.

Inside A Finishing School for Transwomen |Sharon Adarlo |December 27, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
When my oldest child was a toddler, I treated illuminated screens like plutonium.

Yes, Your Toddler Can Watch TV: The New Rules for Screen Time |Russell Saunders |December 26, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
What started as a confectionary is now the oldest know restaurant in Japan.

Inside The World’s 10 Oldest Restaurants |Justin Jones |December 20, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Occasionally Lew Wasserman, the chairman of MCA and one of Hitchcock's oldest friends, rings up just to see how he is.

Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days |David Freeman |December 13, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Harvard calls itself “the oldest institution of higher education in the United States.”

North Korea's Top College: Brainwash U |Justin Rohrlich |December 13, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
That was the question that faced the oldest Corner House girl as she turned away from the door of the little cobbler's shop.

The Corner House Girls at School |Grace Brooks Hill
It is one of the oldest, and, beyond any doubt, the most valuable of the ancient books of Ireland.

Insula Sanctorum et Doctorum |John Healy
Do you know what the oldest piece of furniture in the world is?

How to Solve Conundrums |Anonymous
In particular the gladiatorial shows surpassed anything within the memory of the oldest living spectator.

The Unwilling Vestal |Edward Lucas White
A lively discussion has been started as to which is the oldest church in Connecticut.

The New England Magazine Volume 1, No. 3, March, 1886 |Various

British Dictionary definitions for oldest

old

/ (əʊld) /

adjective

having lived or existed for a relatively long time an old man; an old tradition; old wine; an old house; an old country

of or relating to advanced years or a long lifeold age
(as collective noun; preceded by the)the old
old and young people of all ages

decrepit or senile

worn with age or use old clothes; an old car

(postpositive) having lived or existed for a specified perioda child who is six years old
(in combination)a six-year-old child
(as noun in combination)a six-year-old

(capital when part of a name or title) earlier or earliest of two or more things with the same name the old edition; the Old Testament; old Norwich

(capital when part of a name) designating the form of a language in which the earliest known records are written Old English

(prenominal) familiar through long acquaintance or repetition an old friend; an old excuse

practised; hardened old in cunning

(prenominal often preceded by good) cherished; dear: used as a term of affection or familiarity good old George

informal (with any of several nouns) used as a familiar form of address to a person old thing; old bean; old stick; old fellow

skilled through long experience (esp in the phrase an old hand)

out-of-date; unfashionable

remote or distant in origin or time of origin an old culture

(prenominal) former; previous my old house was small

(prenominal) established for a relatively long timean old member
(in combination)old-established

sensible, wise, or mature old beyond one's years

(of a river, valley, or land surface) in the final stage of the cycle of erosion, characterized by flat extensive flood plains and minimum relief See also youthful (def. 4), mature (def. 6)

(intensifier) (esp in phrases such as a good old time, any old thing, any old how, etc)

(of crops) harvested late

good old days an earlier period of time regarded as better than the present

little old informal indicating affection, esp humorous affection my little old wife

the old one or the old gentleman informal a jocular name for Satan

noun

an earlier or past time (esp in the phrase of old) in days of old

Derived forms of old

oldish, adjective oldness, noun

Word Origin for old

Old English eald; related to Old Saxon ald, Old High German, German alt, Latin altus high

usage for old

Many people nowadays prefer to talk about older people rather than old people, and the phrase the old is best avoided altogether

Idioms and Phrases with oldest

old

In addition to the idioms beginning with old

old as Adam
old chestnut
old college try, the
old saw
old shoe
old stamping ground
old story, an
old wives' tale

also see:

any old
chip off the old block
comfortable as an old shoe
dirty joke (old man)
get the air (old heave-ho)
no fool like an old fool
of old
ripe old age
same old story
settle a score (old scores)
stamping ground, old
teach an old dog new tricks
up to one's old tricks

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

oldest

adjective

Words nearby oldest

Definition for oldest (2 of 2)

adjective, old·er, old·est or eld·er, eld·est.

noun

Origin of old

SYNONYMS FOR old

ANTONYMS FOR old

OTHER WORDS FROM old

Example sentences from the Web for oldest

British Dictionary definitions for oldest

adjective

noun

Derived forms of old

Word Origin for old

usage for old

Idioms and Phrases with oldest

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

oldest

adjective

Words nearby oldest

Definition for oldest (2 of 2)

adjective, old·er, old·est or eld·er, eld·est.

noun

Origin of old

SYNONYMS FOR old

ANTONYMS FOR old

OTHER WORDS FROM old

Words related to oldest

Example sentences from the Web for oldest

British Dictionary definitions for oldest

adjective

noun

Derived forms of old

Word Origin for old

usage for old

Idioms and Phrases with oldest