gerontocracy: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2Formal, Academic, Political
Quick answer
What does “gerontocracy” mean?
A system of government or management where the rulers are significantly older than most of the adult population, typically prioritizing the interests of the elderly.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A system of government or management where the rulers are significantly older than most of the adult population, typically prioritizing the interests of the elderly.
More broadly, any governing body, organization, or institution dominated by elderly individuals, often implying resistance to change, conservatism, or outdated policies due to the advanced age of its leaders.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Spelling is consistent.
Connotations
In both variants, it implies stagnation, conservatism, and a disconnect from younger generations. It is not a complimentary term for a government.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both varieties, primarily found in political science, sociology, and analytical journalism.
Grammar
How to Use “gerontocracy” in a Sentence
[The/This/Our] [country/party/institution] has become a gerontocracy.They accused the leadership of establishing a gerontocracy.The gerontocracy is resistant to reform.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “gerontocracy” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The party has slowly gerontocratised over the past two decades.
- They feared the system would gerontocratise further.
American English
- The committee is in danger of gerontocratizing, with no members under 60.
- The founders never intended to gerontocratize the institution.
adverb
British English
- The board is run gerontocratically, ignoring input from junior staff.
American English
- The company was managed gerontocratically, leading to its decline.
adjective
British English
- The gerontocratic tendencies of the council are evident in its budget priorities.
- He criticised the party's gerontocratic leadership.
American English
- The organization's gerontocratic structure stifles new ideas.
- They live under a gerontocratic regime.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Could describe a corporate board or family business where all key decision-makers are past retirement age and resist innovation.
Academic
Common in political science, sociology, and history to analyze power structures in specific regimes (e.g., late Soviet Union, certain traditional societies).
Everyday
Very rare. Might be used in political commentary or criticism of a government perceived as out of touch.
Technical
The primary technical context is political theory and demographic analysis.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “gerontocracy”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “gerontocracy”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “gerontocracy”
- Mispronunciation: /ˈdʒer.ən.toʊ.kræs.i/ (wrong stress and vowel sounds).
- Misspelling: 'gerontocrasy', 'gerontokracy'.
- Using it as a synonym for any conservative government, without the core element of rulers being demographically much older than the populace.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In modern usage, it is almost exclusively critical or analytical, highlighting a potential problem of generational disconnect. Historically or in some theoretical contexts, it could be a more neutral descriptor.
Yes, informally. If a company's board and executive team are exclusively composed of people well past typical retirement age and they resist innovation or succession planning, it can be described as a corporate gerontocracy.
Gerontocracy is rule by the elderly (based on age). Plutocracy is rule by the wealthy (based on wealth). They are different axes of power concentration.
Political scientists often cite the leadership of the late Soviet Union (Brezhnev, Andropov, Chernenko), the Chinese Communist Party in certain periods, and the ruling family of Saudi Arabia as examples of systems with strong gerontocratic features.
A system of government or management where the rulers are significantly older than most of the adult population, typically prioritizing the interests of the elderly.
Gerontocracy is usually formal, academic, political in register.
Gerontocracy: in British English it is pronounced /ˌdʒer.ɒnˈtɒk.rə.si/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌdʒer.ənˈtɑː.krə.si/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Gray-haired governance”
- “The silver ceiling”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'GERONTO' (from Greek 'geron' meaning 'old man') + 'CRACY' (rule). It's the 'rule of the old men'.
Conceptual Metaphor
GOVERNMENT IS A BODY / An aged, slow-moving body resistant to new impulses.
Practice
Quiz
What is the most critical connotation of 'gerontocracy'?