Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

geriatrics

/dʒˌɛɹiˈætɹɪks/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 2.47 in modern English

Syllables: geri-atrics
IPA: /dʒˌɛɹiˈætɹɪks/

13

Scrabble Score

10

Letters

4

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The branch of medicine that focuses on health promotion and the prevention and treatment of disease and disability in later life. The term itself can be distinguished from gerontology, which is the study of the aging process itself.

Uncountable

noun

plural of geriatric

Etymology

From Ancient Greek γῆρας (gêras, “old age”) (see γέρων (gérōn)) + ἰατρός (iatrós, “physician”); coined in English in 1909 by Ignatz L. Nascher in the New York Medical Journal on the model of pediatrics; correct formation would be gerontiatrics. Compare gerontology.

Word Breakdown

Root: *ǵerh₂-

Usage

Uncountable

Derived Forms

ethnogeriatrics oncogeriatrics orthogeriatrics psychogeriatrics

Synonyms

gerontology

Rhymes With

pediatrics patricks

Questions

How do you pronounce geriatrics?: The recorded pronunciation is /dʒˌɛɹiˈætɹɪks/.
What does geriatrics mean?: The branch of medicine that focuses on health promotion and the prevention and treatment of disease and disability in later life. The term itself can be distinguished from gerontology, which is the study of the aging process itself.
Where does geriatrics come from?: From Ancient Greek γῆρας (gêras, “old age”) (see γέρων (gérōn)) + ἰατρός (iatrós, “physician”); coined in English in 1909 by Ignatz L. Nascher in the New York Medical Journal on the model of pediatrics; correct formation would be gerontiatrics. Compare gerontology.

How to pronounce geriatrics

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “geriatrics”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/dʒˌɛɹiˈætɹɪks/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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Repeat and practice — Say “geriatrics” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.