1.
old woman; elderly woman
A formal or literary term for an elderly woman. Used in written language, narratives, and news reports rather than in everyday conversation.
A formal, literary term for an elderly woman. The male counterpart is 老人 (elderly person, though often implies a man) or 老翁 (old man, literary).
Common collocations
In everyday conversation, おばあさん or お年寄り is used instead. 老女 appears primarily in literature, news reports, and formal descriptions. In noh theater, 老女もの refers to plays featuring an elderly female character as the lead.
Related Words
Related:
老人 (elderly person (general))
Compare:
老婆 (old woman)
Compare:
老婦人 (elderly woman)