Agings

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ˈeɪ.d͡ʒɪŋz/

Definitions

1. The process or state of growing older, which encompasses the physical, psychological, and social changes that occur over time
2. The gradual decline in the effectiveness or vitality of an organism as it progresses through life stages
3. A period characterized by the accumulation of changes that lead to a lessened ability to respond to environmental stressors and maintain homeostasis

Etymology: "Agings" is simply the plural of "aging," the noun for the process of growing older, so it is the form of that noun used when more than one passage of time is meant. The noun is formed from "age" with the suffix "-ing," which turns a verb or noun into a term for an action or process. The base word "age" has a long road behind it. It comes from Old French "aage," which in turn traces back to the Latin "aetas," meaning a lifetime or period of life. Through that Latin root, English gained a word that could describe a span of years long before it described the slow wearing-down of a body.