ἡλικία
Etym. ἧλιξ
I. "time of life, age", Lat. aetas, Il.;—acc. used absol. "in age", νέος ἡλικίην Hdt.; so in dat., ἡλικίᾳ ὢν νέος Thuc.; πόρρω τῆς ἡλ. advanced in "years", Plat.
2. mostly, "the flower or prime of life" from about 17 to 45, "man's estate, manhood", ἐν ἁλικίᾳ πρώτᾳ Pind.; ἐν ἡλικίᾳ εἶναι to be of age, Plat., etc.; so, ἡλικίαν ἔχειν, εἰς ἡλ. ἐλθεῖν id=Plat.; ἡλικίαν ἔχειν, c. inf., to be "of fit age" for doing, Hdt.; οἱ ἐν ἡλικίᾳ men "of serviceable age", Thuc.
3. "youthful heat and passion", ἡλικίῃ ἐπιτρέπειν Hdt.
II. as collective Noun, = οἱ ἥλικες, "those of the same age, fellows, comrades", Il., Thuc.
III. "time", ταῦτα ἡλικίην ἂν εἴη κατὰ Λάϊον about the "time" of Laius, Hdt.
2. "an age, generation", Lat. saeculum, Dem., etc.
IV. of the body, "stature, growth", as a sign of age, Hdt., Plat.