What does "methuselah" mean?
Any person or thing that has lived to a very old age.
Methuselah
name, noun
name, noun ·4 syllables ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Any person or thing that has lived to a very old age.
- Grammar: methuselah is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: old man, ancient person, antediluvian, antique.
- Useful contrasts: new seedling, newcomer, short life.
- Usage evidence: Experts have named the oldest known bristlecone pine "Methuselah." It is somewhere in the White Mountains of California. But it is not marked in any special way, so that people do not try to damage it.
How to use "methuselah"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "methuselah" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "methuselah" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "methuselah" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "methuselah" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
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- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "methuselah" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "old man" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "methuselah", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Any person or thing that has lived to a very old age. broadly
- 2 A large wine bottle with the capacity of about 6 liters, equivalent to 8 standard bottles.
- 3 a man who is very old wordnet
- 4 Alternative spelling of methuselah (“large wine bottle”). alt-of, alternative
- 5 A small pattern that takes many generations to stabilize.
"The first known methuselah was the r pentomino, but even longer lasting ones have been found by enumerating and testing small patterns. The following, called "rabbits," takes over 10000 generations to stabilize."
Proper Noun
- 1 The oldest person whose age is recorded in the Hebrew Bible, having reportedly lived 969 years.
"And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech: And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters:"
- 2 A planet in the PSR B1620-26 star system, Messier 4 globular cluster, Milky Way Galaxy, Scorpius constellation; a circumbinary planet, officially named PSR B1620-26 b, orbiting a pulsar (“PSR B1620-26 A”) and white dwarf (“WD B1620-26 B”).
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Experts have named the oldest known bristlecone pine "Methuselah." It is somewhere in the White Mountains of California. But it is not marked in any special way, so that people do not try to damage it."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "methuselah"?
Common synonyms include: old man, ancient person, antediluvian, antique, back number, centenarian.
How do you use "methuselah" in a sentence?
Experts have named the oldest known bristlecone pine "Methuselah." It is somewhere in the White Mountains of California. But it is not marked in any special way, so that people do not try to damage it.
Etymology
From Hebrew מְתוּשֶׁלַח (M'tušelaḥ), also spelled מְתוּשָׁלַח (M'tušalaḥ). The planet's name stems from the fact that, at the time of its discovery in 2003, it was the oldest known planet.