What word to choose to indicate age? Even a very mature age? In relation to a woman, it is not customary to use other words, except for “young”, “blooming”, “young”. Antonyms for the word "young" sound harsh. I. Ilf and E. Petrov found a way out. Describing the guests at the wedding, they chose the definition of “not young” for the bride.
But it's still two words, not one. What other definitions of this concept can be found?
What antonyms are commonly used
The meaning of a word is sometimes better understood if you indicate its antonym - antipode, antagonist. A word with the opposite meaning. For black, the antonym is white, for hot, cold. And what are antonyms for the word "young"?
In the movie Black Cat, White Cat, two characters are talking. The local mafioso can't marry his sister in any way. He notices the son of his interlocutor and asks about his age. The father, answering that the son is seventeen years old, adds: "He is quite mature." Later,when the wedding of this guy has already been decided, one girl expresses her regret about it - she wanted to fall in love with him, but it was too late. And he adds: “Very young, but cute.”
It turns out that the pair "young - mature" are antonyms.
Riddle: antonym of the word "young", 8 letters
In crossword puzzles, a word is often encrypted, which will help to guess its antonym. Well, when the number of letters is known. If there are eight of them, then the word "mature" will not work, although it is an antonym. Need to look for another word.
This can be done in two ways: find an antonym for the word "young" or find a synonym for the word "mature". Looking through the dictionary of antonyms, we get the following list:
- elderly;
- middle-aged;
- old;
- adult.
There are other words, but they do not fit, as they consist of two or more words. If it were necessary to look for a concept opposite to the word "young", then they would come in handy. From the available words, you should choose one that has eight letters. It's the word "adult".
How to designate a person's not young age
If an announcement is being made, a congratulation, or just a note about the style of a dress, the question of age seems rather sensitive. There are several well-established expressions that sometimes help:
- Retirement age.
- Age 55+.
- Mature age.
- Elegant age.
But the first two antonyms for the word "young" sound rude and tactless. It's better to use twofollowing, and put them side by side. For example, "a mature lady of elegant age." Or just say "lady of Balzac's age." In fact, Balzac wrote about women who are thirty-five years old. But can there be more of a real lady? As one lady in O. Wilde's play said: "One lady managed to keep her thirty-five years old for many years."
For men, the following epithets are suitable, which are antonyms for the word "young":
- Savvy over the years.
- White-haired.
- Patriarch.
- Veteran.
- In years.
- In years.
- Aged.
- Solid.
- Power.
It's best to say "honorable gentleman" about men. This will emphasize his dignity. And no words like "old man" or "grandfather." Let's respect elders.
Conclusion
Sometimes finding a synonym or antonym is not easy, but it's worth it. The next time you compose a congratulation, use worthy epithets and a pleasant appeal. And you will see how grateful people will be.
