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This question asks you to identify the correct term for a person who is one hundred years old. The correct word is Centenarian.
Let's break down the concept:
In English, we use specific terms derived from Latin roots to describe a person's age in decades. The root word for "hundred" is "cent-", which you see in words like century (100 years) and centimeter (one hundredth of a meter). The suffix "-arian" is used to form nouns meaning "a person who is" a certain age.
Therefore, Centenarian literally means "a person who is one hundred (years old)".
Let's look at the other options to understand why they are incorrect:
- Octogenarian: This word uses the root "octo-", which means eight. An octogenarian is a person who is 80 years old.
- Septuagenarian: This word uses the root "septuaginta", which means seventy. A septuagenarian is a person who is 70 years old.
- Old: This is a general adjective describing age. It is not the specific term for a 100-year-old person.
Related Terms and Formulae
Here are some other common age-related terms built on the same pattern:
| Term | Age | Root Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Sexagenarian | 60 years old | sexaginta (sixty) |
| Septuagenarian | 70 years old | septuaginta (seventy) |
| Octogenarian | 80 years old | octō (eight) |
| Nonagenarian | 90 years old | nōnāgintā (ninety) |
| Centenarian | 100 years old | centum (hundred) |
| Supercentenarian | 110+ years old | super (above) + centum (hundred) |
Final Answer: Centenarian