299. Old Age

See also 3. AGE ; 18. ANTIQUITY ; 171. FOSSILS .

anecdotage

old age, when a person may be prone to regale others with anecdotes about his past. [A humorous blend of anecdote and dotage.]

anility

the condition of behaving like an old woman, used especially of men. Cf. senility .

caducity

decrepit old age; senility.

gerascophobia

the fear of growing old.

geratology

the study of the decline of life, as in old age. — geratologic, geratological, geratologous, adj.

geriatrics

1. the science dealing with the diseases, debilities, and care of aged persons.

2. the study of the physical process and problems of aging; gerontology. —geriatrie, adj. —geriatrist, geriatrician, geriatry, n.

gerocomy

gerontology.

gerodontics

a dental specialty concerned with the care and treatment of the dental problems of the aged. — gerodontist, n.

geromorphism

the condition of appearing older than one is.

gerontology

the branch of science that studies aging and the special problems of the aged. Also called gerocomy . — gerontologist, n. — gerontological, adj.

nonagenarianism

the state of being in one’s nineties. —nonagenarian, n., adj. —nonagenary, adj.

nostology

Medicine, Obsolete, the study of senility.

octogenarianism

the state of being in one’s eighties. —octogenarian, n., adj. —octogenary, adj.

opsimathy

Rare.

1. a late education.

2. the process of acquiring education late in life.

senicide

the killing off of the old men in a tribe. — senicidal, adj.

senility

1. the state or quality of being old, especially, being afflicted with the infirmity of body and mind that sometimes comes with old age.

2. Informal. a condition of weakness of mind and body, usually associated with advanced age, characterized by the inability to remember simple, recent events, general confusion and bewilderment, and increasing debility. Cf. anility. — senile, adj.

septuagenarianism

the state of being in one’s seventies. — septuagenarian n. , adj. — septuagenary, adj.