# senile

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈsiːnaɪl/ · frequency rank #29,454

## Definitions
1. Of, or relating to old age.
2. Exhibiting the deterioration in mind and body often accompanying old age; doddering.

## 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”).

## Easily confused with
- **sense** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/senile-vs-sense)
- **smile** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/senile-vs-smile)
- **serie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/senile-vs-serie)
- **snipe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/senile-vs-snipe)
- **Sunil** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/senile-vs-sunil)
- **snide** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/senile-vs-snide)
- **single** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/senile-vs-single)
- **senior** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/senile-vs-senior)
- **settle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/senile-vs-settle)
- **serine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/senile-vs-serine)
- **sterile** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/senile-vs-sterile)
- **Seville** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/senile-vs-seville)
- **sensible** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/senile-vs-sensible)
- **seize** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/seize-vs-senile)
- **seine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/seine-vs-senile)
- **senate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/senate-vs-senile)
- **Searle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/searle-vs-senile)
- **Semite** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/semite-vs-senile)

## Common misspellings (8)
`esnile`, `seinle`, `seniel`, `senille`, `senlie`, `sennile`, `sneile`, `ssenile`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/senile