eighties
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- The time of life between 80 and 90: The period when a person is in their eighties, meaning they are aged from 80 to 89 years old.
- The decade from 1980 to 1989: The period of ten years in the 20th century, specifically the years 1980 through 1989.
- The decade from 1880 to 1889: The period of ten years in the 19th century, specifically the years 1880 through 1889.
Usage
- The word "eighties" is always plural and typically used with the definite article "the" (e.g., ).
- Context usually makes it clear which meaning is intended. When referring to a person's age, it is often preceded by a possessive (e.g., ) or a descriptive phrase (e.g., ). When referring to a historical decade, it is often preceded by the century (e.g., ) or understood from context.
Examples
- Referring to age:
- My grandmother is in her eighties and still very active.
- He wrote his most famous works in his eighties.
- Referring to the 1980s:
- The music of the eighties is making a comeback.
- She was a famous movie star in the eighties.
- Referring to the 1880s:
- The economic depression of the eighties (1880s) affected many countries.
- This architectural style was popular in the eighties of the nineteenth century.
Advanced Usage
- "The early/late eighties": Used to specify a part of the decade or age range.
- He started his company in the early eighties (e.g., 1981-1983).
- She moved to the city in her late eighties (e.g., 87-89 years old).
- "The roaring eighties": A historical phrase sometimes used to describe the 1880s, particularly in Australia, referring to a period of economic boom.
Variants and Related Words
- Eighty (numeral): The cardinal number 80.
- Eightieth (adj/noun): Constituting number eighty in a sequence; the ordinal form (e.g., her birthday).
- Octogenarian (noun): A person who is between 80 and 89 years old. This is a more formal synonym for "a person in their eighties."
Synonyms
- For age: Octogenarian years.
- For the 1980s: The '80s, the 1980s.
- For the 1880s: The 1880s.
Related Phrases
- In one's eighties: The standard phrase to describe being aged 80-89.
- He took up painting in his eighties.
- The mid-eighties: Refers to the middle part of the decade, roughly 1984-1986, or ages 84-86.
- The song was a hit in the mid-eighties.
Noun
- the time of life between 80 and 90
- the decade from 1980 to 1989
- the decade from 1880 to 1889