old

old (adj.) O.E. ald (Anglian), eald (W.Saxon) "aged, antique, primeval; elder, experienced," from W.Gmc. *althas "grown up, adult" (Cf. O.Fris. ald, Goth. alþeis, Du. oud, Ger. alt), originally a pp. stem of a verb meaning "grow, nourish" (Cf. Goth. alan "to grow up," O.N. ala "to nourish"), from PIE root *al- "to grow, nourish" (Cf. Gk. aldaino "make grow, strengthen," althein, althainein "to get well;" L. alere "to feed, nourish, bring up, increase," altus "high," lit. "grown tall," almus "nurturing, nourishing," alumnus "fosterling, step-child;" O.Ir. alim "I nourish").

The usual PIE root is *sen- (Cf. SENIOR (Cf. senior)). A few Indo-European languages distinguish words for "old" (vs. young) from words for "old" (vs. new), and some have separate words for aged persons as opposed to old things. L. senex was used of aged living things, mostly persons, while vetus (lit. "having many years") was used of inanimate things. Gk. geraios was used mostly of humans; Gk. palaios was used mostly of things, of persons only in a derogatory sense. Greek also had arkhaios, lit. "belonging to the beginning," which parallels Fr. ancien, used mostly with reference to things "of former times."

Old English also had fyrn "ancient," related to O.E. feor "far, distant" (see FAR (Cf. far), and Cf. Goth. fairneis, O.N. forn "old, of old, of former times," O.H.G. firni "old, experienced"). The original Old English vowel is preserved in Scots auld, also in ALDERMAN (Cf. alderman). The original comparative and superlative (elder, eldest) are retained in particular uses.

First record of old-timer is from 1860. Expression old as the hills first recorded 1819. The good old days dates from 1828. Of old "of old times" is from late 14c. Old Glory for "the American flag" is first attested 1862. Old maid "woman who remains single well beyond the usual marrying age" is from 1520s; the card game is attested by that name from 1844. Old man "man who has lived long" is from c.1200; sense of "husband, father, boss" is from 1854, earlier (1830) it was military slang for "commanding officer;" old lady "wife, mother" is attested from c.1775. Old English is attested from 1701, originally as a type of font. Old boy originally was a former pupil of one of the English public schools.