coined 1909 by Austrian-born doctor Ignatz L. Nascher (1863-1944) in "New York Medical Journal" on the model of pediatrics from geriatric (q.v.). Also see -ics. The correct formation would be gerontiatrics.
Entries linking to geriatrics
pediatrics n.
"medical treatment of children; the branch of medicine dealing with the study of childhood and diseases of children," 1884; from pediatric; see -ics.
geriatric adj.
1909, formed in English from Latinized forms of Greek gēras, gērōs "old age" (from PIE root *gere- (1) "to grow old") + iatrikos "of a physician," from iatros (see -iatric).