Ageing or growing older: What’s the distinction? – The Word Counter

What’s the distinction between ageing and growing older?

When you’re discussing somebody that’s getting older, are they ageing or growing older? Because it seems, each phrases are merely alternate spellings of the similar phrase. 

The important distinction between growing older and ageing is easy: 

• “Ageing” is most well-liked for British English or English dialects outdoors of North America. 
• Canadian and American English prefers the shortened type of “growing older.” 

Nevertheless, there are a number of different explanation why grammar college students battle to know “growing older” or “ageing.” 

The phrase growing older is the current participle of the verb “age,” which suggests ‘to get older,’ ‘mature,’ or ‘develop over time.’ However outdoors of its verb type, we will additionally use “growing older” or “ageing” as a noun or adjective. 

The non-exclusive phrase use of “growing older” or “ageing” is complicated at first, however with a bit of follow, The Word Counter could have your writing model again to A+ materials very quickly. 

What’s the definition of growing older or ageing?

The phrase “growing older” or “ageing” is the current participle (gerund) of the verb “age,” whereas “aged” is the previous participle (preterite) type. The time period age is a noun, verb, or adjective, however English audio system use “growing older” or “ageing” as a verb or an adjective. 

Growing old or ageing as a verb

As a verb, the phrase growing older (or ageing) means:

1. To develop into older or to indicate the results of maturity or previous age. For instance, 

“Growing old could cause grey hair, wrinkles, and elevated frailty.”
“Younger individuals can count on to really feel the results of growing older by their mid to late 20s’.” 

2. The technique of creating a fascinating attribute over time (particularly for sure meals and wine). For instance,

“The gruyere cheese is growing older in the cellar.” 
“Let the wine age earlier than calling it ‘classic.’” 

Verb synonyms

Age [1]: Advancing, creating, graying, rising up, maturing, progressing. 

Age [2]: Blooming, blossoming, creating, flourishing, maturing, opening, ripening.

Growing old or ageing as an adjective

The Cambridge Dictionary defines “growing older” as an adjective that describes: 

1. The technique of getting older. For instance,

“Mobile senescence is part of the growing older course of.” 

2. Somebody or one thing that’s changing into previous.

“A wholesome way of life can improve the life expectancy of growing older populations.”

3. Showing previous (additionally as “aged”). 

“The growing older constructing continues to crumble over time.”
“The cheese is aged.” 

4. For enterprise terminology: one thing that’s outdated or much less highly effective than earlier than. For instance, 

“We doubt the long run worth of growing older baseball playing cards.” 

Adjective synonyms

Grownup, aged, historic, aged, geriatric, long-lived, mature, previous, older, over-the-hell, retired, senescent, senior, unyoung. 

Growing old or ageing as a noun

The phrase ageing or growing older is a noncount noun that defines “the technique of being previous,” in accordance with the MacMillan Dictionary. For instance, 

“Skincare merchandise can scale back the look of growing older.” 

Noun synonyms

Development, age, maturity, maturation, previous age, time. 

The etymology of “age”

The phrase “age” historically signifies a size of time that one thing existed or a stage of life. The noun type originates from Latin “aetas” for ‘interval of life’ and “aevum” for ‘lifetime’ or ‘eternity.’ 

In response to the On-line Etymology Dictionary, Outdated French tailored the Latin phrases round the late thirteenth century as “aage” or “eage” to imply ‘age,’ ‘life,’ or ‘maturity.’ However someday throughout Center English (c. 1150-1470), the trendy use of “age” changed Outdated English ‘eld’ for ‘previous age’ or ‘interval of life.’ 

English audio system didn’t use “age” as a verb to imply ‘develop previous’ till the 14th century, whereas the adjective “growing older” entered the scene round the mid-Fifteenth century. Much more stunning is that the noun “age” didn’t infer “a century” (as in ‘Center Ages’) till the nineteenth century. 

How one can use growing older vs. ageing in a sentence?

Utilizing the verb growing older (or ageing) is difficult as a result of it will probably infer completely different meanings for sure qualities. As an example, the verb “growing older” could convey how somebody is rising older, exhibiting indicators of maturity and previous age, or creating an acquired high quality over time. 

Alternatively, English audio system use the phrase “growing older” or “ageing” to explain the act of declining, crumbling, or weakening. However since the verb can describe one thing by motion or a state of being, we will additionally use “growing older” or “ageing” as an adjective or noun. 

How one can use growing older or ageing as a verb

To make use of the verb type of growing older or ageing accurately, the phrase should have the means to switch its definition to different tense varieties with out dropping its meant that means. “Age” tense varieties embrace: 

Current tense: “I age” (or “she ages”). 

Current steady: “I’m growing older.” 

Current excellent: “I’ve aged.”

Easy previous tense: “I aged.”

Previous steady: “I wasgrowing older.”

Previous excellent: “I had aged.”

Future tense: “I’ll age.”

Future steady: “I can be growing older.” 

Future excellent: “I’ll have aged.”

How one can use growing older or ageing as an adjective

To make use of “growing older” or “ageing” as an adjective, be sure that it describes a noun. For instance, 

“Well being care professionals usually warn growing older populations about the danger components related to COVID-19.”

As proven above, the adjective “growing older” describes nouns equally to phrases like “older individuals,” “older adults,” or “age group.”

How one can use growing older or ageing as a noun

We are able to use growing older or ageing as a noun to explain maturity or the technique of getting older. As a result of the phrase growing older is a noncount noun (i.e., it’s singular or plural with out including an “s”), it will probably signify one technique of maturity or a number of. 

For instance, 

“He’ll do something to restrict the indicators of growing older.” 
“Everybody experiences growing older, whether or not you’re a young person, grownup, or getting into the autumn of 1’s life.” 

Growing old vs. ageing in the press

Relating to regional spelling variations, “growing older” is the most well-liked spelling for American English, whereas “ageing” is extra frequent in the United Kingdom (or outdoors North America). 

Let’s take a fast take a look at how “growing older” and “ageing” exist inside newspapers and web sites round the world: 

The United States & Canada:

“Omega-3 fatty acids have been proven to combat irritation and keep mind construction in growing older brains.” –– CNN 
“… scientists aren’t certain what happens in the mind with growing older that contributes to Alzheimer’s.” –– Science Every day 
“A four-year-old canine is much like a 52-year-old human. Then by seven years previous, canine growing older slows.” –– At this time 
“… breathe new life into growing older buildings like the CIBC constructing.” –– Calgary Herald

The United Kingdom, Eire, and Australia:

“Does the key to anti-ageing lie in our bones?” –– The Guardian
“As a physician and wholesome ageing professional, I’m additionally very aware that my meals selections can have a big effect on my well being …” –– The Sydney Morning Herald
“Ageing is commonly regarded as a gradual course of that occurs to the physique…” –– BBC Information
“The Italians have at all times loved extra impartial wines, gentle in aroma, alcohol and fruit, with no oak ageing.” –– The Irish Instances

How one can keep in mind growing older vs. ageing?

To recollect the distinction between growing older and ageing, do not forget that “ageing” is the customary spelling for British English. Subsequently, affiliate the further letter E with “England.” 

“Ageing” = “Ag-E-ing” = E = England 

FAQ: Associated to ageing vs. growing older?

Is there a distinction between “agism vs. ageism” or “agist vs. ageist”?

The spelling variations for growing older vs. ageing additionally extends to agism or ageism, which is the “prejudice or discrimination on the grounds of an individual’s age,” in accordance with Lexico. American English makes use of “agism,” whereas British English prefers to make use of “ageism.” 

The similar spelling variation applies to agist vs. ageist, that are adjectives that describe one thing as prejudiced or discriminatory towards one other particular person’s age. Once more, “agist” is the most well-liked spelling for the US whereas “ageist” is typical for the UK. 

Take a look at Your self!

Do your grammar expertise face up to the check of time? See how a lot you’ve discovered about ageing vs. growing older with the following multiple-choice questions.

1. True or false: The appropriate spelling for American or Canadian English is “growing older”? 
   a. True
   b. False
2. The appropriate type of the verb “age” in the previous tense is _____________.
   a. Growing old
   b. Aged
   c. Ageing
   d. A and C
3. For the following sentence, select the phrase type of ‘growing older:’ “The growing older inhabitants is worried about their well-being.”
   a. Noun
   b. Verb
   c. Adjective
   d. Adverb
4. Which of the following phrases doesn’t embrace the most well-liked spelling for British English?
   a. Ageing inhabitants
   b. Growing old course of
   c. Inhabitants ageing
   d. Ageing course of 
5. For the following sentence, select the appropriate phrase for the verb ‘to age’: “The performer’s tweets didn’t ___________ effectively.” 
   a. Growing old
   b. Ages
   c. Aged
   d. Age

Solutions

1. A
2. B
3. C
4. B
5. D

Sources

1. “Age.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., 2020.
2. “Age.” Lexico, Oxford College Press, 2020.
3. “Ageism.” Lexico, Oxford College Press, 2020.
4. “Ageing.” Macmillan Dictionary, Macmillan Training Restricted, 2020. 
5. “Growing old.” Cambridge Dictionary, Cambridge College Press, 2020.
6. Garmeson, Tom. “Why your organs may attain 100 even in case you don’t.” BBC Information, 25 June 2020. 
7. Gregorevic, Kate. “Precisely what a physician eats to advertise wholesome ageing.” The Sydney Morning Herald, 6 July 2020. 
8. Harper, Douglas. “Age (n.).” On-line Etymology Dictionary, 2020. 
9. “To age.” Reverso Conjugation, Reverso-Softissimo, 2020. 
10. Hudes, Sammy. “Inglewood residents push again towards proposed 12-storey growth.” Calgary Herald, 12 July 2020. 
11. Kent, Lauren. “Consuming fish may assist defend growing older brains from air air pollution, examine finds.” CNN, 15 July 2020. 
12. Salk Institute. “Alzheimer’s drug candidates reverse broader growing older, examine exhibits.” ScienceDaily, 10 December 2019.
13. Weisholtz, Drew. “Overlook ‘canine years’: Scientists say we’ve been calculating our pups’ ages improper.” At this time, 7 July 2020. 
14. Wilson, John. “4 well-priced options to Pinot Grigio.” The Irish Instances, 4 July 2020.