Definition for AGE

AGE, n. [Fr. age; Arm. oage; deduced by Lunier from L. ætas, or ævum. But these are undoubtedly contracted words, Goth. aiw; D. eeuw; Gr. αιων; from the Celtic, W. haug, fullness, completeness, an age, a space of time; plur. hogion; the g being sunk in the Latin words; in the Sanscrit, yuga.]

  1. The whole duration of a being, whether animal, vegetable, or other kind; as, the usual age of a man is seventy years; the age of a horse may be twenty or thirty years; the age of a tree may be four hundred years.
  2. That part of the duration of a being which is between its beginning and any given time; as, what is the present age of a man, or of the earth? Jesus began to be about thirty years of age. – Luke iii.
  3. The latter part of life, or long continued duration; oldness. The eyes of Israel were dim for age. – Gen. xlviii.
  4. A certain period of human life, marked by a difference of state; as, life is divided into four stages or ages, infancy, youth, manhood, and old age; the age of youth; the age of manhood.
  5. The period when a person is enabled by law to do certain acts for himself, or when he ceases to be controlled by parents or guardians; as, in our country, both males and females are of age at twenty-one years old.
  6. Mature years; ripeness of strength or discretion. He is of age, ask him. – John ix.
  7. The time of life for conceiving children, or perhaps the usual time of such an event. Sarah was delivered of a son when she was past age. – Heb. xi.
  8. A particular period of time, as distinguished from others as, the golden age, the age of iron, the age of heroes or of chivalry.
  9. The people who live at a particular period; hence, a generation and a succession of generations; as, ages yet unborn. The mystery hid from ages. – Col. i.
  10. A century; the period of one hundred years.

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