gerontocracy

noun

ger·​on·​toc·​ra·​cy ˌjer-ən-ˈtä-krə-sē How to pronounce gerontocracy (audio)
plural gerontocracies
: rule by elders
specifically : a form of social organization in which a group of old men or a council of elders dominates or exercises control
gerontocrat noun
gerontocratic adjective

Examples of gerontocracy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This is the classic institutional drama that plays out in a gerontocracy. Cassidy Creech, The Conversation, 14 Jan. 2025 The gerontocracy has shed 82-year-old Joe Biden, 84-year-old Nancy Pelosi, and 82-year-old Mitch McConnell from leadership. Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 13 Jan. 2025 The big picture: The national discourse over America's aging gerontocracy goes far beyond the executive branch. Ivana Saric, Axios, 27 Dec. 2024 At the top, our federal government is a gerontocracy, and this problem isn’t limited to the ... John Fund, National Review, 22 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for gerontocracy 

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French gérontocratie, from géronto- geronto- + -cratie -cracy

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gerontocracy was in 1830

Dictionary Entries Near gerontocracy

Cite this Entry

“Gerontocracy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gerontocracy. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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