Standard Lemma guide

ageist

adj · noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈeɪ̯.dʒɪst/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Unfairly discriminatory against someone based on their age.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Upon hearing that his employer would soon require yearly physical examinations and vision screening, my father exclaimed that the policy was ageist.
  • Even though she had succeeded in the phone interview, when the ageist employer learned that the candidate was only 18 years old, she became hesitant.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A person who behaves in an ageist manner.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He didn’t like to think of himself as an ageist, but he had to admit that he hadn’t considered the needs of some of the more elderly participants.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h2ey- Proto-Indo-European *-u Proto-Indo-European *h2óyu Proto-Italic *aiwom Proto-Indo-European *-teh2 Proto-Indo-European *-ts Proto-Indo-European *-teh2ts Proto-Italic *-tāts Proto-Italic *aiwotāts Latin aetātem Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh2tos Proto-Italic *-ātos Latin -ātus Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icus Latin -āticus Latin -āticum Vulgar Latin *aetāticum Old French eagebor. Middle English age English age Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Hellenic *-tās Ancient Greek -τής (-tḗs) Ancient Greek -ῐστής (-ĭstḗs)bor. Latin -istader. Old French -istebor. Middle English -ist English -ist English ageist From age + -ist.

Across languages

Translations

3 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Portuguese: etarista — discriminatory against someone based on their age
  • Irish: aoisíoch — a person who acts in an ageist manner
  • Portuguese: etarista — a person who acts in an ageist manner