noun
age
ayj
noun
1
The length of time someone or something has existed, usually counted in years.
"She started school at the age of five."
"The building's age shows in its crumbling brickwork."
2
A particular period in history, especially one with distinct characteristics.
"The Bronze Age preceded the Iron Age."
"We live in the age of the internet."
3
A long, often exaggerated, period of time.
"It took an age for the bus to arrive."
"I haven't seen her in ages."
verb
1
To grow older, or to show signs of growing older.
"He's aged a lot since I last saw him."
"Wine ages well in a cool cellar."
How to Use Age
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishHow long something has existed, or a period of history, or growing older over time.
Common pairings
come of age
at the age of
age well
for ages
Word Forms
aged past tense, ages plural, ages singular
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Etymology
From Old French aage/eage, ultimately from Latin aetatem, related to aevum ("lifetime"). It displaced the native Old English word for age, "ieldu."