age
gb/ˈeɪd͡ʒ/ us/ˈeɪd͡ʒ/
A1
English
~ 400
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
quantity
1
number of years a person has lived
How many years old someone is.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s age
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'age' with 'old'. 'Age' is a noun, while 'old' is an adjective.
Synonyms
years (Informal way to refer to someone's age in years.)
Antonyms
youth (Refers to the early period of life, opposite of older age.)
Collocations
at the age of
|old age
|average age
|retirement age
|school age
Themes
daily life
|society
|time
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She learned to swim at the age of five.
- What's the average age for retirement in your country?
- At his age, he should take better care of his health.
- Children start school at around the age of six.
- Old age can bring both wisdom and challenges.
Learner examples
- I am 20 years old. What is your age?
- She is 10 years old.
- At the age of 7, I moved to a new city.
- He is the same age as my brother.
Noun
B1
entity
2
a particular period in history
A special time in history with its own events and culture.
Usage pattern:
the [adjective] Age
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse 'age' as a historical period with 'age' as a person's years.
Synonyms
era (More formal or literary term for a historical period.)
Antonyms
moment (Refers to a very short period, opposite to a long historical period.)
Collocations
Stone Age
|modern age
|digital age
|golden age
Themes
history
|culture
|time
|education
Examples
- The Stone Age was characterized by the use of stone tools.
- We live in the digital age.
- It was the golden age of cinema.
- The Middle Ages saw many social changes.
Learner examples
- The Stone Age was very long ago.
- We are now in the digital age.
- The Middle Ages were hard for many people.
Verb
B1
action
3
to grow older or look older
To get older or look older.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] ages
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'age' as a verb when they mean 'grow up', which refers to becoming an adult, not just getting older.
Synonyms
mature (Can refer to emotional or mental development as well as physical aging.)
Antonyms
rejuvenate (To make someone look or feel younger again.)
Collocations
age quickly
|begin to age
|age gracefully
Themes
daily life
|biology
|health
|time
Examples
- He has aged a lot since I last saw him.
- Wine ages well in oak barrels.
- Stress can make you age faster.
- She has aged gracefully over the years.
Learner examples
- My grandfather has aged a lot this year.
- People age as time passes.
- Some cheese ages for months before eating.
Noun
A2
relation
4
legal minimum years for an activity
The number of years you must be before you can do something by law.
Usage pattern:
the legal age for [activity]
Synonyms
minimum age (Specifies the lowest legal age allowed for something.)
Antonyms
underage (Being younger than the legal requirement for something.)
Collocations
drinking age
|voting age
|legal age
Themes
law
|society
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The legal drinking age here is 21.
- You must be of legal age to vote.
- The driving age varies between countries.
Learner examples
- The driving age in my country is 18.
- You must be 18 to vote here.
- The drinking age is 21 in the USA.
Grammar
Dictionary form
age
IPA
GB/ˈeɪd͡ʒ/
US/ˈeɪd͡ʒ/
Syllables & stress
age (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (age)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: age
- Plural: age, ages
Verb
- Base: age
- 3rd Person Singular: ages
- Present Participle: ageing, aging
- Past: aged
- Past Participle: aged
Word family
Expressions
act your age
1/ˈækt jˈʊɹ ˈeɪd͡ʒ/
idiom
informal
behave appropriately for your age
To behave in a way that is normal for how old you are.
Examples
- Stop playing around and act your age!
- He needs to act his age instead of acting like a teenager.
come of age
1/kˈʌm əv ˈeɪd͡ʒ/
idiom
reach adulthood or maturity
To reach the age when you are an adult or when something becomes fully developed.
Examples
- He came of age at eighteen and inherited the family business.
- The technology has finally come of age and is now widely used.
come of age
1/kˈʌm əv ˈeɪd͡ʒ/
idiom
reach adult status
to become old enough to be considered an adult
Examples
- She came of age during a time of major social change.
- In this country, citizens come of age at 18.
- The novel follows a boy as he comes of age in a small fishing village.
of age
1/əv ˈeɪd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
having reached legal adulthood or maturity
Old enough by law to do something.
Examples
- You must be of age to buy alcohol here.
- She is now of age and can vote.
ripe old age
1/ɹˈaɪp ˈoʊld ˈeɪd͡ʒ/
idiom
having lived to an old age
To have lived for many years and be old.
Examples
- She lived to the ripe old age of 98.
- He reached the ripe old age of 90 and was still healthy.
under age
1/ˈʌndɚ ˈeɪd͡ʒ/
fixed phrase
below legal minimum age
You are younger than the law allows for something.
Examples
- He was caught driving while under age.
- You can't enter the club if you're under age.