premature old age, a rare condition occurring in children and characterized by small stature, absent or greying hair, wrinkled skin, and other signs of old age
Word origin
C20: from pro-2 + Greek gēras old age
progeria in American English
(proʊˈdʒɪriə)
noun
a rare genetic disorder, esp. of early childhood, characterized by premature aging
Word origin
ModL < Gr progērōs, prematurely old < pro, before + gēras, old age + -ia