Presbyopia
/ˌprɛz.biˈoʊ.pi.ə/noun
An age-related condition in which the eye gradually loses the ability to focus on nearby objects.
Did you know?The first element comes from Greek presbys, “old man,” and the second from ops/ōps, “eye,” so the term is a blunt ancient label for the near-vision loss that comes with age.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
presbys + ōps
““old man” + “eye, sight””
Late Greek
Greek
presbyōpia
“old-age vision or aged eyesight”
19th Century
English
presbyopia
“medical term for age-related farsightedness”
Modern English
English
presbyopia
“age-related difficulty focusing on close objects”
Explore more surprising origins