How do you pronounce senile?

The recorded pronunciation is /ˈsinaɪl/.

senile

/ˈsinaɪl/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.99 in modern English

Syllables: se-nile
IPA: /ˈsinaɪl/

Scrabble Score

Letters

Syllables

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Of, or relating to old age.

adj

Exhibiting the deterioration in mind and body often accompanying old age; doddering.

Offensive

noun

A person who is senile.

Dated

Example Sentences

"Similar studies of rats have employed four different intracranial resorbable, slow sustained release systems— […]. Such a slow-release device containing angiogenic factors could be placed on the pia mater covering the cerebral cortex and tested in persons with senile dementia in long term studies."
"Her mother was senile, but they called it dementia now."
"Seniles differ markedly in their early adult intelligence level, and in their social, vocational, and educational histories."

Etymology

1660s; borrowed from French sénile, from Middle French senile, from Old French senile, from Latin senīlis (“of or pertaining to old age”), from senex (“old man”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sénos (“old”).

Origin

Source language: French

Word Breakdown

Root: sénile, senile, senīlis, *sénos

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈsinaɪl/
British English: /ˈsiːnaɪl/

Usage

Inflected Forms

more senile (comparative) most senile (superlative) seniles (plural)

Derived Forms

Cnile nonsenile presenile senilely senilism senility senilize senilocracy

Phrases

senile angioma senile gangrene senile keratosis senile wart

Frequently Paired Words

senate senator senescence senior seniority

Synonyms

doddering doddery gaga

Antonyms

juvenile

Rhymes With

while style file smile mile last mile pile kyle chile awhile isle worthwhile