Senility
/səˈnɪlɪti/noun
The condition of having weakened mental faculties, especially in old age.
Did you know?The word comes from Latin senilis, meaning “of old age,” from senex, “old man,” the same root behind words like senate and senior—proof that age once carried the weight of authority, not just decline.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sen-
“To be old; old age”
Latin
Latin
senex
“Old man; aged person”
Latin
Latin
senilis
“Of old age; aged”
Late Latin
Latin
senilitas
“Old age; feebleness of age”
Middle English
English
senilite
“Old age; infirmity associated with age”
Modern English
English
senility
“Mental or physical feebleness associated with old age”