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Glite Dictionary
thirty-something

thirty-something

4 3.4
A person aged between 30 and 39 or the years between those ages
  • noun
  • /ˈθɜrtiˌsʌmθɪŋ/
  • Informal
translation icon : treintañero
  • I visit a thirty-something mother for whom we built a house last year.

Examples

  • The presidential limousine was visible from our seats and was an amazing sight to this thirty-something-year-old.

    Blog text (27)

  • At the reunion, I was surprised to see how many thirty-somethings had adult children already.

  • Being a thirty-something guy with two kids and a wife, the extra money runs a little tight.

    Blog text (12)

  • And it was a different thing for me as a teenager than as a thirty-something.

    Blog text (32)

  • Hi! I'm Amy... a thirty-something teacher who LOVES living in the country!

    Blog text (26)

  • I met this beautiful thirty-something divorcee at a party 11 days ago.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • Speaking as a thirty-something-year-old male, I would date someone like Becky in a sec.

    Blog text (2)

  • I am a thirty-something mom raising two kids and managing a full-time job in Northern Virginia.

    Blog text (19)

  • I am a thirty-something married gal and momma adjusting to life with two kiddos.

    Blog text (24)

  • The thirty-something professional was eager to advance her career while balancing family life.

Synonyms

thirtyish
vsthirty-something
  • Informal
1 4.2

About thirty years old based on how someone looks

gives an exact age range of 30 to 39 not appearance based
thirtysomething
vsthirty-something
1 4.2

Between thirty and thirty-nine years old

is the same meaning but written with a hyphen in the main entry
thirties
vsthirty-something
1.0

The time in a person's life between the ages of 30 and 40

refers specifically to ages 30 to 39 rather than up to 40

How Old

thirty-something
  • Informal
4 3.4

Surface Forms

thirty-something singular
thirty-somethings plural
thirty something singular

Morphology

thirty-something = thirty + something (transparent) = thirty + something

A straightforward compound of the numeral 'thirty' and 'something', readily interpreted by learners as 'in their thirties'.

Etymology

Thirty-something joins thirty and something, where something means 'an unspecified amount'. It names a person in their thirties, aged between 30 and 39, so it simply means 'about thirty' without giving an exact age.