dotage — English Dictionary

Noun

1. Decline in judgment and other cognitive functions, associated with aging; senility.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   "More care!" said the old man in a shrill voice, […] there were in his face marks of deep and anxious thought which convinced me that he could not be, as I had been at first inclined to suppose, in a state of dotage or imbecility.

2. Fondness or attentiveness, especially to an excessive degree.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   Claudio And ſhe is exceeding wiſe. Prince In euery thing but in louing Benedicke. […] I would ſhee had beſtowed this dotage on mee, […]

3. Foolish utterance(s); drivel.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   No leſs are they out of the way in Philoſophy, peſtring their heads with the ſapleſs dotages of old Paris and Salamanca.

Noun

1. mental infirmity as a consequence of old age; sometimes shown by foolish infatuations

   Synonyms

   second childhoodsenility

   Broader terms

   old ageyearsageeldgeezerhood