Geront
/ˈdʒɛr.ɒnt/noun
An old person, especially one regarded as a member of an elder group or council.
Did you know?In ancient Sparta, the gerousia was a council of elders whose members were called gerontes, giving age a formal connection with political authority.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gerh₂-
“To grow old or mature”
Ancient Greek
Greek
γέρων (gerōn)
“An old man or elder”
Ancient Greek
Greek
γερουσία (gerousia)
“A council of elders, especially in Sparta”
17th Century
English
geront
“An old person or elder, borrowed through learned Greek and Latin usage”
Modern English
English
geront
“An elder or aged person, chiefly used in specialized or historical contexts”