geronto-

combining form

: aged person : old age

gerontology

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Greek, combining form from geront-, gérōn "old, old man," going back to Indo-European *ǵerh₂-ont- (whence also Sanskrit jarant-, járan "old, decayed," Ossete zærond "old, old man"), participial derivative from the base *ǵerh₂- "become old, ripen" — more at geriatric entry 1