अधेड़ (adhed)

adjective A single-sense adjective describing a person of middle age -- neither young nor old.
Sense 1 : middle-aged
adjective
Synonyms: प्रौढ़ (praudh, more formal/literary)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will hear this word used to describe a stranger on the street or in a news report -- 'एक अधेड़ आदमी (ek adhed aadmii, 'a middle-aged man')' is a very common way to introduce a character whose exact age doesn't matter, just that he's no longer young. It sits between जवान (javaan, 'young') and बूढ़ा (boodhaa, 'old') on the age scale Hindi speakers casually use.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use जवान (javaan) or बूढ़ा (boodhaa) when अधेड़ (adhed) is the more precise word for someone in between -- roughly 40s to 50s. 2) It carries a slightly unflattering or matter-of-fact edge, closer to English 'past his/her prime' than a neutral clinical term; calling someone अधेड़ (adhed) to their face can sound blunt.
Sample Sentences:
एक अधेड़ आदमी बस स्टॉप पर खड़ा था। A middle-aged man was standing at the bus stop.
(ek adhed aadmii bas stop par khadaa thaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
पुलिस एक अधेड़ महिला की तलाश कर रही है। The police are searching for a middle-aged woman.
(pulis ek adhed mahilaa kii talaash kar rahii hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
मेरे पड़ोस में एक अधेड़ जोड़ा रहता है। A middle-aged couple lives in my neighborhood.
(mere pados men ek adhed jodaa rahtaa hai।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
चालीस की उम्र के बाद इंसान को अधेड़ कहा जाता है। After the age of forty, a person is called middle-aged.
(chaaliis kii umr ke baad insaan ko adhed kahaa jaataa hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
अगर वह अधेड़ नहीं होता, तो शायद इतनी जल्दी हार नहीं मानता। If he weren't middle-aged, he probably wouldn't have given up so quickly.
(agar vah adhed nahiin hotaa, to shaayad itnii jaldii haar nahiin maantaa।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
क्या तुमने उस अधेड़ आदमी को कल यहाँ देखा था? Did you see that middle-aged man here yesterday?
(kyaa tumne us adhed aadmii ko kal yahaan dekhaa thaa?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, हमला एक अधेड़ व्यक्ति द्वारा किया गया था। According to the report, the attack was carried out by a middle-aged individual.
(riport ke anusaar, hamlaa ek adhed vyakti dvaaraa kiyaa gayaa thaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
वह अभी जवान लग रहा है, पर कुछ सालों में अधेड़ हो जाएगा। He looks young right now, but in a few years he'll become middle-aged.
(vah abhii javaan lag rahaa hai, par kuchh saalon men adhed ho jaaegaa।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Future -- Voice: Active
अधेड़ उम्र में भी उनका जोश देखकर हैरानी होती है। Even at middle age, it's surprising to see their enthusiasm.
(adhed umr men bhii unkaa josh dekhkar hairaanii hotii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Adjective (invariant)
invariant: अधेड़ (adhed)