Home › Glossary › Letter A

agèd

Archaic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

An archaic spelling of 'aged', pronounced as two syllables (a-ged) to maintain meter in poetry; it means old or elderly, often used to evoke a sense of reverence or antiquity in verse.

Detailed Definition
The term 'agèd' is an older form of the word 'aged', often used in poetry to evoke a sense of time and experience. In this poem, it describes Winter as being old and perhaps weary, contrasting with the freshness of Spring, thus emphasizing the cyclical nature of the seasons.
Example
Example in poetry:
"Angry, agèd Winter" (personified season); "The agèd oak stands firm" (nature); "An agèd pilgrim with staff in hand" (religious); "The agèd king laid down his crown" (historical); "Agèd wisdom in young eyes" (paradox)
Additional Notes
The word 'agèd' characterizes Winter in the poem, highlighting its contrast with the youthful vigor of Spring.; Found in the poem, To the Spring by Sir John Davies
Also Known As
aged ancient venerable time-worn Mature season'd Vintage
Skip to main content