ichidan verb, intransitive verb
become decrepit and ugly with age
Describes the process of aging to the point of losing physical attractiveness and vitality, often with a negative or pitiful connotation.
彼はすっかり老いさらばえて、昔の面影はなかった。
He had become completely decrepit with age, with no trace of his former self.
Standard kanji-kana mixed spelling.
Rare kanji form using 曝; the mixed spelling is far more common.
Compound of 老い (oi, 'aging') and さらばえる (sarabaeru), an old verb meaning 'to become exposed' or 'to wither'. The exact derivation of さらばえる is uncertain, but it likely relates to 曝れる (sareru, 'to be exposed to the elements').