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senility

senility

7 7.3
A loss of mental or physical strength in old age often causing memory loss and confusion
  • noun
  • /səˈnɪləti/
translation icon : senilidad
  • As my grandfather aged, he began to show signs of senility, often forgetting the names of his grandchildren.
  • premature senility
  • onset of senility
  • signs of senility

Examples

  • We left, not knowing what to do about Bertie's palpable senility, her inability to feed herself.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • It's the first sign of senility.

  • - Yes, it's a form of senility.

  • Why should he suddenly go into senility?

  • I wanted a dignified senility.

  • But that's probably just senility.

  • One memo described Selye as showing signs of senility and having "contributed little to the field in the last 10 to 15 years."

    Academic text (2011)
  • Such a disappearance of dendrites is usually associated with senility.

    Academic text (2007)
  • Even when she was dwindling away with encroaching senility, she was still there at the core in some tiny way.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • The way he's acting now with this girl may even be a sign of advancing senility or Alzheimer's or something.

    Fiction book (1990)

Synonyms

dementia
vssenility
  • Specialized
76 6.9

A long-term loss of memory and changes in thinking and personality that make daily life hard

is broader age related weakening that includes physical decline and confusion
memory loss
vssenility
40 3.4

A problem when a person cannot remember information or past experiences

is an age linked decline affecting mind memory and everyday thinking
dotage
vssenility
  • Literature
2 9.3

A period late in life when the mind becomes weak and foolish

is about decline in both body and mind often stressing memory loss
senile dementia
vssenility
  • Archaic
1 6.2

Loss of memory and thinking in older people caused by gradual brain damage not from stroke

is a general age related decline in mind and body often with confusion
second childhood
vssenility
  • Archaic
1 7.7

A period in old age when mental decline makes a person behave like a young child

is a general weakening with memory loss rather than playful childlike conduct
senile psychosis
vssenility
  • Archaic
9.3

Severe memory loss and confusion in very old people caused by brain damage

is a general age related decline focused on weakness and memory loss
old timer's disease
vssenility
  • Offensive
9.0

Forgetting things as you get older

is a neutral medical description of age related mental weakening

Antonyms

104 1.1

The state of being young and full of energy

16 4.6

Ability of a living thing to survive and grow

How Impaired

Alzheimer's disease
  • Specialized
21 3.7
dementia
  • Specialized
76 6.9
senility
7 7.3
old timer's disease
  • Offensive
9.0

Surface Forms

senility singular
senilities plural

Morphology

senility = senile (transparent) = senile + ity

Formed by the regular nominalizing suffix '-ity' from the adjective 'senile', so the meaning is directly derived.

Etymology

The word senility comes from the Latin root senex, which means 'old'. It is related to English senior, meaning 'older', so senility describes the weakness of mind or body that often comes with very old age.