noun · 3 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.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈdəʊ.təd/
Received-Pronunciation, nonstandard:/ˈdəʊ.tɑːd/
General-American:/ˈdoʊ.tɚd/
General-American, nonstandard:/ˈdoʊ.tɑɹd/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
1
noun
Meaning 1
An old person with impaired intellect; a senile person; one in their dotage.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: mimmerkin
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
One who dotes on another, showing excessive fondness; a doter.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
an oldster in his dotage; someone whose age has impaired his intellect
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: oldster, old person, senior citizen, golden ager
History
Etymology
From Middle English dotard; equivalent to dote + -ard.
Across languages
Translations
22 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
изкуфял старец
(izkufjal starec)
— old person with impaired intellect
Chinese Mandarin:
老糊塗 /老糊涂
(lǎohútu)
— old person with impaired intellect
Esperanto:
kadukulo
— old person with impaired intellect
Finnish:
vanhuudenhöperö
— old person with impaired intellect
Finnish:
höppänä
— old person with impaired intellect
French:
radoteur
— old person with impaired intellect
German:
Seniler
— old person with impaired intellect
German:
Senile
— old person with impaired intellect
Hungarian:
trotty
— old person with impaired intellect
Hungarian:
vén szivar
— old person with impaired intellect
Italian:
bacucco
— old person with impaired intellect
Japanese:
老い耄れ
(oibore)
— old person with impaired intellect
Korean:
늙다리
(neukdari)
— old person with impaired intellect
Korean:
늙다리미치광이
(neukdarimichigwang'i)
— old person with impaired intellect
Norman:
r'doteux
— old person with impaired intellect
Persian:
خرفت
(xereft)
— old person with impaired intellect
Polish:
ramol
— old person with impaired intellect
Russian:
маразма́тик
(marazmátik)
— old person with impaired intellect
Russian:
ста́рый дура́к
(stáryj durák)
— old person with impaired intellect
Spanish:
chocho
— old person with impaired intellect
Spanish:
gagá
— old person with impaired intellect
Tagalog:
ulyanin
— old person with impaired intellect
