*gerə-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to grow old." It forms all or part of: geriatric; geriatrics; gerontocracy; gerontology.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit jara "old age," jarati "makes frail, causes to age;" Avestan zaurvan "old age;" Greek geron "old man;" Ossetic zarond "old man;" Armenian cer "old, old man."

word-forming element, from Latinized form of Greek iatrikos "healing," from iatros "physician, healer" (related to iatreun "treat medically," and iasthai "heal, treat"); of uncertain origin, perhaps from iaomai "to cure," related to iaino "heat, warm, cheer," probably from a root meaning "enliven, animate."

"study of decadence" in a species, etc., 1876, from Greek gēras (genitive gēratos) "old age" (see geriatric) + -logy. Related: Geratologic.

I have adopted this new term with considerable hesitation and doubt, and have only done so under the pressure of necessity. In no other way can I better convey my conviction that there is a traceable correspondence between all manifestations of decline in the individual and in the group to which the individual belongs, which may, like embryology, be used inductively in reasoning upon the probable affinities of animals. [A. Hyatt, paper on "Genetic Relations of Stephanoceras," read June 7, 1876, published in Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History, vol. xviii, 1877]

coined 1909 by Austrian-born doctor Ignatz L. Nascher (1863-1944) in "New York Medical Journal" on the model of pediatrics from geriatric (q.v.). Also see -ics. The correct formation would be gerontiatrics.

fatal genetic disease of children causing rapid aging, 1902, Modern Latin, from Greek progeros "prematurely old;" from pro "before, sooner" (see pro-) + geras "old man" (see geriatric) + abstract noun ending -ia.