Language Research

age · noun

/eɪdʒ/Full view

age (HOW OLD)

A1 C or U the number of years that someone has lived, or that something has existed

Dictionary examples:

I'd guess she's about my age.

We're the same age.

She was 74 years of age when she wrote her first novel.

He left home at the age of 16.

The show appeals to people of all ages.

Learner example:

She is the same age as me. (Skills for Life (Entry 1); A1; Slovak)

age (PERIOD)

B2 C a particular period of history

Dictionary examples:

the modern/information age

the ice age

Learner example:

You can begin by visiting its castle, which goes back to the middle ages. (First Certificate in English; B2; Portuguese)

age (OLD)

C2 U the state of being old or becoming old

Dictionary examples:

He is starting to show his age.

The value of the painting has increased with age.

Learner example:

Usually, as the saying goes, we grow wiser with age. (Certificate of Proficiency in English; C2; French)

at the tender age of 8/17/25, etc.

C2 at the young age of 8/17/25, etc.

Dictionary example:

She first appeared on stage at the tender age of 12.

Learner example:

She met my father at the tender age of 14, and she soon knew that this was the man she wanted to stay with for the rest of her life. (Certificate of Proficiency in English; C2; Danish)