Every time another birthday rolls around, the thrills become fewer and the anxiety about aging becomes greater. But don’t let those landmark decade birthdays get you down! Now you can whip out a new word every 10 years to describe yourself.
You may not have heard these words used very often, but that doesn’t mean they’re not important. Try saying one (or all) of them and expand your vocabulary as you expand your age.
quadragenarian
If you’re between the ages of 40鈥�50, you’re not quite over the hill, as they say. But you are a quadragenarian.
The first records of the word quadragenarian come from the 1830s. It comes from the Latin word 辩耻补诲谤腻驳脓苍腻谤颈(耻蝉), meaning 鈥渃onsisting of forty,鈥� from 辩耻腻诲谤腻驳脓苍(墨), 鈥渇orty each.鈥� The suffix -an is used to indicate a person (as seen in common words like pedestrian and historian).
Chances are that you know plenty of quadragenarians, but you鈥檝e never heard them called that. That鈥檚 because it鈥檚 much more common to refer to someone as a 40-year-old or describe them as in their 40s or 40-something. When it is used, it鈥檚 probably to be funny (perhaps to make someone sound older than they really are) or just to use a fancy word.
Quadragenarian can also be used as an adjective to describe someone in their 40s, as in I never thought I鈥檇 be a quadragenarian grandmother.
quinquagenarian
If there’s one bright spot in turning 50, it’s that you get to use words like quinquagenarian to describe yourself now.
A quinquagenarian is someone in their 50s (50 to 59 years old), or someone who is 50 years old.
Quinquagenarian can also be used as an adjective to describe someone in their 50s, as in I have entered my quinquagenarian years.聽
The first records of the word quinquagenarian come from the 1500s, but it wasn鈥檛 used to refer to age until the 1800s. It was originally used to refer to a commander of 50 soldiers. It comes from the Latin word 辩耻颈苍辩耻腻驳脓苍腻谤颈耻蝉, meaning 鈥渃ontaining fifty,鈥� from 辩耻颈苍辩耻腻驳脓苍墨, 鈥渇ifty each.鈥�
sexagenarian
If you’re 60 and you’re feeling down, call yourself a sexagenarian to improve your mood. (You can’t be sad saying that word, you just can’t.) As much fun as it is to say, it鈥檚 perhaps more often used in writing. It鈥檚 especially used in the context of highlighting a person who鈥檚 doing something that may be surprising for their age, as in My sexagenarian yoga instructor is way more flexible than I am.
Clearly a sexagenarian is someone in their 60s (60 to 69 years old), or someone who is 60 years old. It can also be used as an adjective as described above. Another word for sexagenarian is sexegenary.
The word sexagenarian comes from the Latin word 蝉别虫腻驳脓苍腻谤颈耻蝉, from 蝉别虫腻驳脓苍墨, meaning 鈥渟ixty each,鈥� from 蝉别虫腻驳颈苍迟腻, 鈥渟ixty.鈥�
No matter what decade you’re living right now, there’s always going to be one generation you fit under. Find out which generation applies to you here.
septuagenarian
A septuagenarian is someone in their 70s (70 to 79 years old), or someone who is 70 years old. Some of the words we highlighted above are rarely used, but what’s interesting is that septuagenarian and 辞肠迟辞驳别苍补谤颈补苍听(coming next) are actually more commonly used. You may have even heard these two before. Maybe the older people get, the more ornate language they like to use? They’ve certainly earned it.
Another word for septuagenarian is septuagenary.
The word septuagenarian comes from the Latin word 蝉别辫迟耻腻驳脓苍腻谤颈耻蝉, from 蝉别辫迟耻腻驳脓苍墨, meaning 鈥渟eventy each,鈥� from 蝉别辫迟耻腻驳颈苍迟腻, 鈥渟eventy.鈥�
octogenarian
You know the pattern by now … an octogenarian is someone in their 80s (80 to 89 years old), or someone who is 80 years old. Another less common word for octogenarian is octogenary.
The word octogenarian comes from the Latin word 辞肠迟艒驳脓苍腻谤颈(耻蝉), meaning 鈥渃ontaining eighty鈥� or 鈥渆ighty years old,鈥� from 辞肠迟艒驳脓苍(墨), meaning 鈥渆ighty each.鈥�
nonagenarian
If you’ve made it this far (in the article or in actual age), we’re impressed. And now you also have one more word added to your extensive vocabulary.
A nonagenarian is someone in their 90s (90 to 99 years old), or someone who is 90 years old. Nonagenarian is often used to be fancy or funny when referring to 90-somethings.
The first records of the word nonagenarian come from around 1800. It comes from the Latin word 苍艒苍腻驳脓苍腻谤颈(耻蝉), meaning 鈥渃ontaining ninety,鈥� from 苍艒苍腻驳颈苍迟补, 鈥渘颈苍别迟测.鈥�
centenarian
Last, but certainly not least, is centenarian. A centenarian is a truly spectacular person who has reached 10o years of age (or older). Living to be 100 is becoming more common, but it鈥檚 still somewhat rare. The word centenarian is often used in celebration of the achievement, or as a lavish or amusing way to refer to someone of that age.
Centenarian comes from the Latin word 肠别苍迟别苍腻谤颈(耻蝉), from 肠别苍迟脓苍(墨), meaning 鈥渁 hundred each,鈥� from cent(um), 鈥渙ne hundred.鈥�
Fun fact: someone who is 110 years or older can be called a supercentenarian. Actually, if you鈥檙e 110 or older, you can be called whatever you want.
Watch the video below to learn more unique words for every decade of life.
WATCH: The Words You Need For Every Decade Of Your Life
