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elder
1[ el-der ]
adjective
- of greater age; older.
Antonyms: younger
- of higher rank; senior:
an elder officer.
- of or relating to former times; earlier:
Much that was forbidden by elder custom is accepted today.
noun
- a person who is older or higher in rank than oneself.
- an aged person.
- an influential member of a tribe or community, often a chief or ruler; a superior.
- a presbyter.
- (in certain Protestant churches) a lay member who is a governing officer, often assisting the pastor in services.
- Mormon Church. a member of the Melchizedek priesthood.
elder
2[ el-der ]
noun
- any tree or shrub belonging to the genus Sambucus, of the honeysuckle family, having pinnate leaves, clusters of white flowers, and red or black, berrylike fruit.
elder
1/ ˈɛldə /
adjective
- born earlier; senior Compare older
- (in piquet and similar card games) denoting or relating to the nondealer (the elder hand ), who has certain advantages in the play
- archaic.
- prior in rank, position, or office
- of a previous time; former
noun
- an older person; one's senior
- anthropol a senior member of a tribe who has influence or authority
- (in certain Protestant Churches) a lay office having teaching, pastoral, or administrative functions
- another word for presbyter
Elder
2/ ˈɛldə /
noun
- ElderSir Mark Philip1947MBritishMUSIC: conductor Sir Mark Philip. born 1947, British conductor; musical director of the English National Opera (1979–93) and of the Hallé Orchestra from 2000
elder
3/ ˈɛldə /
noun
- Also calledelderberry any of various caprifoliaceous shrubs or small trees of the genus Sambucus, having clusters of small white flowers and red, purple, or black berry-like fruits
- any of various unrelated plants, such as box elder and marsh elder
Usage
Derived Forms
- ˈelderˌship, noun
Word History and Origins
Origin of elder1
Origin of elder2
Word History and Origins
Origin of elder1
Origin of elder2
Synonym Study
Example Sentences
Ali also withdrew following the death of his elder brother, leaving him with family responsibilities.
The group has been travelling to villages, meeting Naga elders, organising lectures and distributing educational materials such as comic books and videos to spread awareness.
It also highlights her brief time in prison and her successful pivot to rebrand herself as a savvy elder influencer who pals around with hip-hop icon Snoop Dogg.
So he brought artists, executives and elder black American statesmen together for a secret summit in 1995, hoping it would be a turning point.
Her family moved frequently when she was younger, settling in the South Side of Chicago, where she said she was “raised with respect” for her elders and teachers, which helped her throughout her life.
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Related Words
More About Elder
What does elder mean?
Elder describes something or someone older. For example, if you have two sons, one is the elder son (the older one, born first) and one is the junior son (the younger one, born second).
Elder also describes being of higher rank, or more senior.
An elder is an old person. Old might depend on who you ask. To a 5-year-old child, a 50-year-old person might seem old, while to an 80-year-old, that 50-year-old is young. However, elder always means someone older than you.
An elder is also an influential person in a community, often a ruler or part of a committee of rulers, and often older or more senior than most people in the community.
An elder is also a tree in the honeysuckle family. Elderflowers and elderberries come from an elder tree.
Example: Of the queen’s two daughters, the elder became queen, while the younger became a great warrior.
Where does elder come from?
The first records of the term elder meaning “older” come from before the year 900.
It ultimately comes from the Old English word eldra.
The first records of the term elder referring to a type of tree also come from before the year 900. It ultimately comes from the Old English word ellaern.
Did you know … ?
What are some synonyms for elder?
What are some words that share a root or word element with elder?
What are some words that often get used in discussing elder?
What are some words elder may be commonly confused with?
How is elder used in real life?
Elder is a common word used to refer to someone older or more senior than the speaker. It’s also used to refer to trees or shrubs from the honeysuckle family.
Thanks for a great start to the day! @WillowWinsham signing off now, but #FolkloreThursday will return with @HerbalStorytell at 11am GMT for more fabulous proverbs, words of wisdom, and old sayings! (Image: Pieter Brueghel the Elder: Netherlandish Proverbs via wikimedia commons) pic.twitter.com/fBnABWHMhw
— Folklore Thursday (@FolkloreThurs) November 5, 2020
Rise up stick, & stand still, stone
For King of England thou shalt be none
Thou & they men hoar stones shall be
And I myself an eldern treeThe witch’s curse before she turned a king & his army into the Rollright Stones and herself into an elder tree
#FolkloreThursday pic.twitter.com/U8TodwBWGm
— Hilary R Sparkes (@HilaryRSparkes) November 5, 2020
“ autumnal recrudescence of the amatory urge” is why they are serenading each other. Or maybe they are summoning the elder gods, it’s hard to tell with owls.
— mediocrebirder (@tinajkl) September 20, 2022
Try using elder!
Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of elder?
A. youngster
B. senior
C. veteran
D. matriarch
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