senescence

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The Word of the Day for March 19 is: 

senescence   \sih-NEH-sunss\   noun
    *1 : the state of being old : the process of becoming old 
     2 : the growth phase in a plant or plant part (as a leaf) 
from full maturity to death

Example sentence:
     Refusing to be overcome by senescence, his mother 
continued to play tennis every Tuesday well into her seventies.

Did you know?
     "Senescence" ultimately derives (via the verb "senescere," 
meaning "to grow old") from the Latin "senex," meaning "old." 
Can you guess which other English words come 
from "senex"? "Senile" might come to mind, as well as "senior." 
But another one might surprise you: "senate." This word for a 
legislative assembly dates back to ancient Rome, where 
the "Senatus" was originally a council of elders composed of 
the heads of patrician families. There's also the much 
rarer "senectitude," which, like "senescence," refers to the 
state of being old (specifically, to the final stage of the 
normal life span).

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.