senile
senile
Definition
se·nile (sē′nīl′, sen′īl′)
adjective
- of, typical of, or resulting from old age: now chiefly medical
- showing the marked deterioration often accompanying old age, esp. mental impairment characterized by confusion, memory loss, etc.
- Geol. nearing the end of an erosion cycle
Etymology: L senilis < senex, old: see senate
senile
Synonyms
senile
Usage Examples
Modifying Another Word
- not: When it came to his turn Peter Taaffe implied that his one time leader and mentor was getting crusty, if not senile.
- too: The US defense secretary meant that the old continent had grown too senile to be able to confront threats.
- so: In 1829, three of the watch were so senile and infirm that they were incapable of performing their duties and were replaced.
- somewhat: His somewhat senile mind was striving for forgotten memories.
Modifies a noun
- dementia: She has senile dementia, doesn't know us, often calls him " Daddy " .
- plaque: Are they poisoned by substances around them, perhaps in senile plaques, the defining lesions of Alzheimer's?
- cataract: Senile cataracts almost always occur in both eyes simultaneously.
- degeneration: Senile macular degeneration was used as an example of a code expected to be found on a practice system.
- decay: Basically, they don't give a damn about losing a few months of senile decay.
- man: He was, in any case, a senile old man, who only partially understood the implications of collaboration.
Used with adjective complement
- go: Some were very hard to grasp - I may be going senile.
- become: The gods are old: they have become senile: it is time for them to die!
- get: Our unit also in effect took over management of the brewery in Hamelin; the old men left to run it were getting senile.
- grow: The US defense secretary meant that the old continent had grown too senile to be able to confront threats.
Browse dictionary entries near senile
- senhoritas
- senhorita
- senhores
- senhoras
- senhora
- senhor
- Senghor
- seneschal
- senescent
- senescence
