gerontology

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ǵerh₂- Proto-Indo-European *-onts Proto-Indo-European *ǵérh₂onts Proto-Hellenic *géronts Ancient Greek γέροντος (gérontos)der. English geronto- Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- Ancient Greek λόγος (lógos) Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-i-eh₂ Proto-Hellenic *-íā Ancient Greek -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā) Ancient Greek -λογῐ́ᾱ (-logĭ́ā)bor. Latin -logialbor. French -logiebor. English -logy English gerontology From geronto- + -logy.

1. The study of the elderly, and of the aging process itself.
2. The branch of science that deals with the problems of aged people. It is to be distinguished from geriatrics, which is the study of the diseases of the elderly. Gerontology covers the social, psychological and biological aspects of aging.