What does age mean?
Age is one of the most fundamental words in English, denoting the length of time that a person, animal, or thing has existed. It appears constantly in everyday speech — we ask someone's age, speak of coming of age, and describe historical periods such as the Bronze Age or the Information Age. Beyond this core sense, age also refers to stages of life, from childhood through middle age to old age, each carrying its own cultural connotations. As a verb, 'to age' describes the process of growing old, whether applied to people, whose bodies change over decades, or to objects like wine, cheese, and timber, which may improve with time. The word is entirely neutral in tone: it carries no inherent praise or criticism, though phrases built around it can be affectionate ('golden years') or unflattering ('over the hill'). Its versatility across literal timekeeping, life stages, and historical eras makes it indispensable.
The length of time that a person or thing has existed.
"Despite his advanced age, he remained an avid cyclist."
Often used with prepositions: 'at the age of', 'in his old age'.
A distinct period of history or human development.
"The Industrial Age transformed manufacturing across Europe."
To become old or show signs of age; to cause something to do so.
"Stress can age a person prematurely."
The plural 'ages' often refers to multiple periods of history or to long stretches of time informally ('I haven't seen you in ages').
"The museum displayed artefacts from various ages of civilisation."
The word 'age' traces back over 2,000 years to Latin 'aetas', from 'aevum' — the same ancient root that gave us 'eternal' and 'coeval'.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of age
Age entered English in the late Middle Ages, borrowed from Old French 'aage' or 'eage', which derived from Latin 'aetas' meaning 'age, lifetime, period'. The Latin root is 'aevum', related to 'aeviternus' (everlasting), connecting it etymologically to words like 'eternal' and 'coeval'. The verb sense developed later, appearing by the early modern period.
Related word forms
How age is actually used
As a verb, 'ageing' is the standard British spelling and 'aging' the standard American spelling. The adjective form 'aged' is pronounced with two syllables (/ˈeɪdʒɪd/) when meaning 'elderly', but one syllable when used as the simple past tense of the verb.
Easily confused with age
'Aged' is the past tense of the verb 'to age' or an adjective meaning elderly (often pronounced /ˈeɪdʒɪd/ as two syllables), while 'age' is the noun for length of existence.