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Definition of "ageism" []

  • Discrimination based on age, especially prejudice against the elderly. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "ageism" in a sentence
  • "Robert Butler, who coined the word "ageism" and was the first director of the National Institute on Aging, used to tell the story of an old man who went to a doctor and complained about a pain in his right knee."
  • "I have read that ageism is particularly problematic in IT, with some companies refusing to hire anyone over age 35!"
  • "Unfortunately, I have found that ageism is rampant, but particularly so in the fields of public relations, advertising, and social media, where I and my 40+ colleagues encounter it on a fairly regular basis."