1.
elderly woman; old lady
a polite or literary term for an elderly woman
老婦人が公園で散歩していた。
An elderly woman was taking a walk in the park.
一人の老婦人が道に迷っていた。
An old lady was lost.
その老婦人は上品な身なりで、静かに本を読んでいた。
The elderly lady was elegantly dressed, quietly reading a book.
A respectful, somewhat literary term for an elderly woman. Commonly found in novels, news reports, and formal descriptions. Carries more dignity than casual terms like おばあさん.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 一人の老婦人: an elderly woman (narrative style)
- 上品な老婦人: an elegant elderly woman
- 老婦人が語る: an elderly woman tells/recounts
SIMILAR WORDS:
- おばあさん: grandmother, old woman — casual and warm; the everyday word
- 老女: old woman — literary but less polite than 老婦人
- 老紳士: elderly gentleman — the male counterpart with a similarly dignified tone
- ご婦人: lady — polite term for a woman of any age, often middle-aged or older
REGISTER:
Formal and literary. Appears in novels, newspaper articles, and polite descriptions. Not typically used in casual conversation.
ETYMOLOGY:
Composed of 老 (old, elderly) + 婦人 (woman, lady).