nonagenarian

English

Etymology

From Latin nōnāgēnārius (“containing ninety”) + -an (suffix forming adjectives and representative nouns), either directly or via French nonagénaire, from nōnāgēnī (“ninety each”) + -ārius (“-ary”), from nōnāginta (“nine tens, ninety”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌnɑnəd͡ʒɪˈnɛriən/, /ˌnoʊnəd͡ʒɪˈnɛriən/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌnɒnəd͡ʒɪˈnɛːrɪən/, /ˌnəʊnəd͡ʒɪˈnɛːrɪən/

Noun

nonagenarian (plural nonagenarians)

1. Synonym of ninetysomething: a person between 90 and 99 years old.

Adjective

nonagenarian (not comparable)

1. Of or related to ninetysomethings.

   Coordinate terms: vicenarian, tricenarian, quadragenarian, quinquagenarian, semicentenarian, hexagenarian, sexagenarian, septuagenarian, octogenarian, centenarian, semisupercentenarian, supercentenarian

   • 1954, Alben W. Barkley, editor, That Reminds Me‎, Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 17:

     "But what’s that got to do with your health and longevity?" the neighbor inquired.
     "Why," said the nonagenarian, "I've spent most of my life in the open air."

Translations

related to ninetysomething year olds

Hungarian: kilencvenes (éveiben járó), kilencvenvalahány éves, kilencvenedik születésnapját betöltött Icelandic: níræður (is) Old Norse: nírœðr

References

• “nonagenarian, n. and adj.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2022.