gerontology
Americannoun
noun
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The large number of aging “baby boomers” has increased both the profile and importance of this specialty.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of gerontology
Explanation
Doctors and researchers who study the process of human aging call their field gerontology. There is a slight difference between gerontology and geriatrics, which is the the branch of medicine that focuses on the health and ailments of elderly people. Gerontology overlaps with geriatrics, but it is more specifically the science of the aging process as well as the physical and psychological issues that people deal with as they get older. The word gerontology comes from a Greek root, gerōn, or "old man."
Vocabulary lists containing gerontology
National Nurses Week: Medical Branches and Conditions
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This Week In Culture: February 8–14, 2020
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“I think the developers need to find much more budget-friendly models,” said Julie Brown, an Ohio University associate professor of gerontology who teaches courses on the business of aging.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 10, 2026
As the meeting wore on, and the speeches railing against the compact continued to cascade, Ryo Sanabria, an assistant professor of gerontology, pressed Kim to respond to the apparent unanimity.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2025
Olshansky, who specializes in demographics and gerontology, warned that while many people see the term "disabled" as neutral, there is still a risk of it being unintentionally pejorative and stigmatizing.
From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2024
Dr. Longo, who is also a professor of gerontology and director of the U.S.C.
From New York Times ● Mar. 25, 2024
And I graduated with a dual Ph.D. in both counseling psychology and gerontology.
From How and When to Be Your Own Doctor by Solomon, Steve
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
