Senior citizen

Senior citizen is a common polite designation for an elderly person in both UK and US English, and it implies or means that the person is retired.^[1][2][3][4] This in turn implies or in fact means that the person is over the retirement age, which varies according to country. Synonyms include pensioner in UK English and retiree and senior in US English. Some dictionaries describe widespread usage of "senior citizen" for people over the age of 65.^[5] "Senior citizen" is replacing the term old-age pensioner traditionally used in UK English.^[6]

When defined in an official context, "senior citizen" is often used for legal or policy-related reasons in determining who is eligible for certain benefits available to the age group.

It is used in general usage instead of traditional terms such as "old person", "old-age pensioner", or "elderly" as a courtesy and to signify continuing relevance of and respect for this population group as "citizens" of society, of "senior" rank.^[7]

The term was apparently coined in 1938 during a political campaign.^[8] It has come into widespread use in recent decades in legislation, commerce, and common speech. Especially in less formal contexts, it is often abbreviated as "senior(s)", which is also used as an adjective.

In commerce, businesses often offer "senior discounts", sometimes with a special "senior discount card".

Qualifying age

The age which qualifies for senior citizen status varies widely. In governmental contexts it is usually associated with an age at which pensions or medical benefits for the elderly become available. In commercial contexts, where it may serve as a marketing device to attract customers, the age is often significantly lower.

In the United States, the standard retirement age is currently 65 (gradually increasing to 67).

The AARP allows couples in which one spouse has reached the age of 50 to join, regardless of the age of the younger spouse.

See also

• Old age

References

1. ^ http://www.oup.com/oald-bin/web_getald7index1a.pl
2. ^ http://www.bartleby.com/61/36/S0263600.html
3. ^ http://www.chambersharrap.co.uk/chambers/features/chref/chref.py/main?query=senior+citizen&title=21st
4. ^ http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define.asp?key=71747&dict=CALD
5. ^ http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/senior-citizen
6. ^ http://www.oup.com/oald-bin/web_getald7index1a.pl
7. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=xylg46v5fRUC&pg=PA64&lpg=PA64 Mental Health Concepts by Claire G. Waughfield, Teresa S. Burckhalter
8. ^ http://www.theseniortimes.com/richler.htm The Senior Times

This sociology-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.v · Categories: Euphemisms Elder law Old age Sociology stubs Wikimedia Foundation. 2010. Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая? Bishop (comics) Sage (comics) Look at other dictionaries: senior citizen — ˌsenior ˈcitizen noun [countable] someone over the age of 65, usually someone who has finished their working life * * * senior citizen UK US noun [C] (also senior) ► an older person, especially someone who has stopped working: »The state s senior …   Financial and business terms senior citizen — • She is a retired person, a senior citizen, you might say Barbara Pym, 1977. Senior citizen is a modern euphemism (first recorded in the 1930s) for an elderly person or old age pensioner, and is more politically correct because it refers… …   Modern English usage senior citizen — senior citizens N COUNT A senior citizen is an older person who has retired or receives an old age pension. Syn: pensioner …   English dictionary senior citizen — n someone who is over 60 years old or who is ↑retired …   Dictionary of contemporary English senior citizen — noun count someone who is at or past the age of RETIREMENT, usually around 65 in the U.S …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English senior citizen — ► NOUN ▪ an elderly person, especially an old age pensioner …   English terms dictionary senior citizen — n. an elderly person, esp. one who is retired …   English World dictionary senior citizen — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms senior citizen : singular senior citizen plural senior citizens someone who is more than 60 years old …   English dictionary senior citizen — {n.} An older person, often one who has retired from active work or employment. * /Mrs. North, the history teacher, is a senior citizen./ …   Dictionary of American idioms senior citizen — {n.} An older person, often one who has retired from active work or employment. * /Mrs. North, the history teacher, is a senior citizen./ …   Dictionary of American idioms 18+ © Academic, 2000-2024 Contact us: Technical Support, Advertising Dictionaries export, created on PHP, Joomla, Drupal, WordPress, MODx. Mark and share Search through all dictionaries Translate… Search Internet Share the article and excerpts Direct link … Do a right-click on the link above and select “Copy Link”