senile
Addled by age
Senile describes mental decline associated with old age—memory loss, confusion, diminished reasoning.
The word is clinical in origin but now sounds dismissive or cruel when applied to people: Don't mind Grandpa, he's going senile.
Medical usage has largely shifted to more specific terms like dementia.
Senile can also mean simply "of old age" without implying mental deterioration, as in senile cataracts, but this neutral sense is uncommon outside technical contexts.
Process of declining quality
- degenerationProgressive loss of function
- decayGradual organic breakdown
- regressionReturn to former state
- atrophyWasting from disuse
weakening · fading · diminishing · waning · ebbing · slippage · loss · failing
Senile, foolish elder
- geezerInformal term for old man
- codgerCrusty elderly man
- cootLobed-foot marsh bird
- fogeyPerson stuck in past
addled · doddering · has-been · obsolete · old-fashioned · antiquated · ageism · stereotype
Degenerative brain disease
- cognitiveRelating to thinking
- memoryMind's retention capacity
- neurodegenerativeCausing brain cell death
- confusionMental disorientation or bewilderment
disorientation · impairment · forgetfulness · aphasia · apraxia · agnosia · amyloid · plaques
Weak and ineffective
vulnerable · dependent · unsteady · faltering · debilitated · enfeebled · helpless · bedridden
Scientific study of senescence
- telomereProtective chromosome terminus
- telomeraseChromosome-tip lengthening enzyme
- apoptosisProgrammed cell death
- progeriaGenetic rapid-aging condition
neurodegeneration · biomarker · longevity · lifespan · age-related
deterioration
Process of declining quality
- degenerationProgressive loss of function
- decayGradual organic breakdown
- regressionReturn to former state
atrophy · weakening · fading · diminishing · waning · ebbing · slippage · loss · failing · slowing
dotard
Senile, foolish elder
fogey · addled · doddering · has-been · obsolete · old-fashioned · antiquated · ageism · stereotype · stigma
Alzheimer's
Degenerative brain disease
- cognitiveRelating to thinking
- memoryMind's retention capacity
- neurodegenerativeCausing brain cell death
confusion · disorientation · impairment · forgetfulness · aphasia · apraxia · agnosia · amyloid · plaques · tangles
feeble
Weak and ineffective
fragile · vulnerable · dependent · unsteady · faltering · debilitated · enfeebled · helpless · bedridden · housebound
gerontology
Scientific study of senescence
- telomereProtective chromosome terminus
- telomeraseChromosome-tip lengthening enzyme
- apoptosisProgrammed cell death
progeria · neurodegeneration · biomarker · longevity · lifespan · age-related
- age descriptorsaged, elderly, old, young, youthful
- age termsyoung, old, older, younger, youngest
- states of beingalive, dead, living, existing, conscious
- agesinfant, child, kid, teen, adult
- agingaging process, aging body, biological age, aging workforce, aging parents
- age slanggeezer, codger, coot, old fart, old timer
- senior yearLast year before graduation
- senior citizenAged person, typically retired
- senior promFinal year formal dance
- senior momentBrief memory lapse
- senior classFinal-year student body
- senior discountsAge-based price reductions