online medical dictionary | definition of senile

Of or pertaining to old age; proceeding from, or characteristic of, old age; affected with the infirmities of old age; as, senile weakness. "Senile maturity of judgment.

<medicine> " Senile gangrene, a form of gangrene occuring particularly in old people, and caused usually by insufficient blood supply due to degeneration of the walls of the smaller arteries.

Origin: L. Senilis, from senex, gen. Senis, old, an old man: cf. F. Senile. See Senior.

(01 Mar 1998)