senile dementia

noun

: dementia of old age especially of the degenerative type associated with Alzheimer's disease

Note: While senile dementia is still sometimes used in medical contexts, the term is now often avoided due to its negative implication that dementia is part of the normal aging process.

Examples of senile dementia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Patients with vascular dementia had the highest risk of contracting COVID-19 — with odds more than three times higher — followed by patients with presenile dementia, senile dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and post-traumatic dementia. —Julie Washington, cleveland, 3 Mar. 2021

Many suffered from senile dementia or other debilitating conditions, and the intent was to protect them from injury in accidental falls. —Washington Post, 24 Sep. 2020

In a 1907 paper, Fischer described neuritic plaques that were present in the brains of 12 senile dementia patients, compared to the single case study Alzheimer published that same year. —Lauren Caruba, ExpressNews.com, 17 Dec. 2019

Six years ago, Lederman was diagnosed with senile dementia. —Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 3 Oct. 2018

While struggling to find the right English, Conte described the 54-year-old as 'demenza senile', which translates to senile dementia. —SI.com, 6 Jan. 2018

Word History

First Known Use

1821, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

senile dementia

noun

: dementia of old age especially of the degenerative type associated with Alzheimer's disease

Note: While senile dementia is still sometimes used in medical contexts, the term is now often avoided due to its negative implication that dementia is part of the normal aging process.