English Reference

Word

geriatric

Phoneticsgeri·atric

US/ˌdʒɛɹiˈætɹɪk/

UK/dʒˌɛɹɪˈætɹɪk/

Definition

adj. relating to the care of very old people. It is often used to describe medical treatments or facilities designed for older adults.

adj. relating to the medical care or treatment of elderly people. Often used in clinical contexts to describe specialized services for the aging population.

Examples

“The hospital has a special geriatric wing for older patients.”

“Geriatric doctors focus on managing multiple health conditions that often come with old age, such as memory loss and joint pain.”

“Advances in geriatric medicine have significantly improved the quality of life for the elderly, allowing many to remain independent for longer periods despite chronic health issues.”

Examples

simple

“The hospital has a special geriatric wing for older patients.”

contextual

“Geriatric doctors focus on managing multiple health conditions that often come with old age, such as memory loss and joint pain.”

complex

“Advances in geriatric medicine have significantly improved the quality of life for the elderly, allowing many to remain independent for longer periods despite chronic health issues.”

Real-World Examples

“Back then, there were only two geriatric white men in the world willing to offer later care in “old-timey” clinics that felt like walking “through a portal back in time”, she said.”
The Guardian · 30 Aug 2026

Etymology

From geriatrics. By surface analysis, Ancient Greek γῆρας (gêras, “old age”) + -iatric.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference