It's Greek To Me!

Greek and Latin Prefixes, Roots and Suffixes used in English
This page © 1999 by Nicholas E. Miller


Basic term

Meaning

Greek
Latin
Prefix
Suffix

geronto

old man, old age

Yes
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Yes
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Examples

Definition

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geriatrics (2)

(noun, takes a singular verb) - old age + physician, medical treatment = the branch of medicine dealing with the problems and diseases of old age and aging people; geriatric = an elderly person.

geriatric (2)

(adj.) - old age + physician, medical treatment = relating to geriatrics or the aging process; something for elderly people; old and/or old-fashioned.

gerontic (5)

(adj.) - old age + -tic = relating to decline or old age.

gerontocracy (4)

(noun) - old man + power, rule = rule by the elders; a society where a group of old men or a council of elders dominates. A gerontocrat is the noun for such a person and gerontocratic is the adjective form.

gerontology (2)

(noun) - old age + speak, study = the study of aging and the problems of the elderly. Gerontological and gerontologic are adjective forms while gerontologist is the noun used to refer to a person who studies or practices this.

gerontomorphic (5)

(adj.) - old age + shape + ic = characterized by physical traits most fully developed in the aged male.