Thursday Thirteen

One of my blogging pals (here's looking at you, Gal), called herself a "spinster" in her response to one of my recent posts. That got me wondering what else an older woman may be called.

I actually consider myself to be a crone, now. Not in the derogatory sense, but in the "I'm old and wise" sense. Most women probably wouldn't like to be called that, I imagine.

Anyway, I looked up words for older women in the thesaurus and have included their definitions.

1. Matron: An older woman who is dignified, respectable, and often associated with being married and having a family. This is not a word I see often and seldom hear used in speech.

2. Dowager: A widow, especially an elderly one who holds a title or property inherited from her deceased husband. This is another word I don't hear often. I see it in books.

3. Grandmother: A woman who is the mother of one's parent, often associated with warmth, love, and wisdom. I called both of my grandmothers "Grandma," but I know today grandmothers often prefer to be called something else, like Mimi or whatever. I think this is common usage.

4. Matriarch: A highly respected and influential older woman who is the head of a family or community. My mother-in-law is the family matriarch. I have heard this in conversation occasionally, but not often.

5. Crone: A derogatory term for an older woman, but sometimes used in folklore to describe a wise and elderly woman with magical knowledge. No one I know uses this word in speech, and I see it mostly in fantasy or mythology books.

6. Elderly lady: A polite and respectful way to refer to an older woman, emphasizing her age and experience. I have seen this in writing and heard it spoken. I personally don't think it's that polite to call someone "elderly" and would prefer "older" myself. Even "seasoned" sounds better to me than "elderly."

7. Senior citizen: A term used to describe an older person, often associated with receiving benefits or discounts related to their age. (I stopped using this in my news reporting after someone complained about it making him sound old. After that, I just said, "Jill Schmoo, 74, still climbs on her roof to fix her shingles," or whatever. Not "Senior citizen Jill Schmoo still climbs on her roof."

8. Golden girl: An affectionate term for an older woman who exudes grace, elegance, and charm with age. (This comes from the TV show, of course.) I can't imagine calling someone this, personally.

9. Sage: A wise and knowledgeable older woman who is respected for her wisdom and advice. I don't hear this as a noun very often. I usually see it accompanying the word "advice," as in "sage advice."

10. Grande dame: A woman of great dignity, sophistication, and often belonging to a high social class. I would have to be speaking about someone of nobility or high rank to use this term, I think.

11. Veteran: An older woman who has extensive experience or service in a particular field or profession. I would use this as an adjective more so than a noun. As in, she's a veteran nurse who has served for 40 years, or something like that.

12. Elder: A term used to denote an older person, suggesting their seniority and life experience. I usually see this in conjunction with religion. "She's an elder in her church," meaning she holds some position there, and has been at it a long time.

13. Old-timer: An informal term for an older woman, often used in a friendly or nostalgic manner. I generally see this use more in describing men than women. I can't recall ever seeing it used to describe a woman, actually. (I was getting low on words.)

Please note that some of these terms may carry different connotations and cultural contexts, so it's essential to use them with sensitivity and respect.

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Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while, and this is my 817th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.