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.
一人の老女が道端に座っていた。
An old woman was sitting by the roadside.
老女は静かに昔の話を語り始めた。
The old woman quietly began to tell a story from the past.
事故で八十代の老女が軽傷を負った。
A woman in her eighties sustained minor injuries in the accident.
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:
- 一人の老女 (an old woman)
- 老女が語る (an old woman tells/speaks)
- 老女の姿 (the figure of an old woman)
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.