Retirement: Meaning, Definition, and Examples

Meaning 1：stopping paid work (retirement)

retirement 🔊

/rɪˈtaɪə(r)mənt/

The time in a person's life when they stop working, usually after reaching a certain age, and often receive a pension.

Retirement scene: happy elderly person reading in armchair

stopping paid work 🔊

➕

/ˈstɑːpɪŋ peɪd wɜːrk/

The period in a person's life when they permanently cease employment, usually after reaching a specific age or fulfilling service requirements, often supported by a pension or savings.

📁 Category：Social Economy 🔖 Level：intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From re- (back) + tire (draw) + -ment (state of being).

💡 Mnemonic

Re-tire: imagine re-tying your shoes for the last time before leaving work forever.

📖 Example

My parents started saving for their retirement when they were in their thirties. 🔊 My parents started saving for their retirement when they were in their thirties.

🔗 Collocations

plan for retirement – prepare financially and logistically for the period after ceasing work

retirement age – the legally or socially accepted age at which a person stops working

retirement party – a celebration held to honor someone who is leaving their job permanently

🔄 Synonyms

withdrawal (n.) – the act of leaving a place, job, or activity

secession (n.) – formal withdrawal from an organization or activity

departure (n.) – the act of leaving a job or position

🚫 Antonyms

employment (n.) – the state of having a paid job

work (n.) – activity involving mental or physical effort done to achieve a purpose or result

recruitment (n.) – the process of finding and hiring people for a job

🌱 Derivatives

retiree (n.) – a person who has retired from work

retired (adj.) – having permanently left one's job

retiring (adj.) – tending to avoid company; shy; also relating to the act of leaving work

📖 Cultural Story

Originated from Old French 'retirer' in the 14th century, meaning 'to withdraw'. It was initially used for military withdrawal, evolving into the modern sense of ceasing paid work, often associated with pension plans in the 19th century.