retiree
ri-ty-REE
/rɪˌtaɪəˈriː/
A person who has retired from employment.
Refers to an individual who has formally concluded their full-time working career.
The story behind the word. The verb 'retire' comes from French 'retirer' (to pull back or withdraw into a quiet place). In the mid-20th century, American English added the '-ee' suffix to create 'retiree' for someone who has withdrawn from the workforce.
Word relationships
- pensioner: Pensioner highlights the financial aspect of receiving a pension check.
- employee: An employee actively works for wages.
Commonly confused with
- retinue: A retinue is a group of advisors or assistants accompanying an important person.
Word family
- retire (verb): To stop working upon reaching a certain age or career milestone.
- retirement (noun): The period of life after stopping working.
Collocations
- recent retiree
- active retiree
- retiree benefits
- retiree community
Example sentences
- "As a new retiree, Martha planned to spend her mornings gardening and her afternoons writing stories." News feature
- "The local council hosted an annual breakfast honoring community retirees for past civic contributions." Community center
Memory hook
Re- (back) + tire (withdraw) + -ee (person) = A person who has drawn back from the working world. Drawing back from daily work into well-earned rest.
When not to use
Do not use to describe someone currently seeking new full-time employment or temporarily on vacation.
Fun facts
- The word 'retire' was originally a military term meaning to pull troops back from the front lines.
Explore more words
retire, superannuation, emeritus, expatriate, superannuated, pension
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