From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishelderlyel‧der‧ly /ˈeldəli $ ˈeldərli/ ●●● S3 W2 adjective 1 OLD/NOT YOUNGused as a polite way of saying that someone is old or becoming old a well-dressed elderly woman► see thesaurus at old2 → the elderly
Examples from the Corpus
elderly• Nor was he really all that elderly.• A few decades ago, the average cruise ship passenger was elderly, affluent, and retired. Not anymore.• Their legacy from the poor law was a stock of homes, for the elderly and disabled, that were ex-workhouses.• He's quite plump and I suppose quite elderly, but he has a wonderful mind.• The party members attending the session here were mostly middle-aged or elderly California residents.• An elderly couple is silently eating chicken and mashed potatoes at a table by the window.• An elderly Englishwoman was seated next to me on the plane.• The group interviewed 14 elderly homeowners who approached the nonprofit organization for help with loans.• A group of elderly ladies sat drinking coffee in the cafeteria.• The elderly people in my constituency worry about their financial predicament.• Some elderly residents cited concerns over crime levels. 