*gerə-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to grow old." It forms all or part of: geriatric; geriatrics; gerontocracy; gerontology.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit jara "old age," jarati "makes frail, causes to age;" Avestan zaurvan "old age;" Greek geron "old man;" Ossetic zarond "old man;" Armenian cer "old, old man."