Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Elder
1.
Older; more aged, or existing longer.
Let the
elder
men among us emulate their own earlier deeds. Jowett (Thucyd. )
2.
Born before another; prior in years; senior; earlier; older;
as, his
; – opposed to elder
brother died in infancyyounger
, and now commonly applied to a son, daughter, child, brother, etc. The
elder
shall serve the younger. Gen. xxv. 23.
But ask of
elder
days, earth’s vernal hour. Keble.
Elder hand
(Card Playing)
, the hand playing, or having the right to play, first.
Hoyle.
1.
One who is older; a superior in age; a senior.
1 Tim. v. 1.
2.
An aged person; one who lived at an earlier period; a predecessor.
Carry your head as your
elders
have done. L'Estrange.
3.
A person who, on account of his age, occupies the office of ruler or judge; hence, a person occupying any office appropriate to such as have the experience and dignity which age confers;
as, the
elders
of Israel; the elders
of the synagogue; the elders
in the apostolic church.☞ In the modern Presbyterian churches, elders are lay officers who, with the minister, compose the church session, with authority to inspect and regulate matters of religion and discipline. In some churches, pastors or clergymen are called elders, or presbyters.
4.
(M. E. Ch.)
A clergyman authorized to administer all the sacraments;
as, a traveling
. elder
Presiding elder
(Meth. Ch.)
, an elder commissioned by a bishop to have the oversight of the churches and preachers in a certain district.
– Ruling elder
, a lay presbyter or member of a Presbyterian church session.
Schaff.
El′der
,Noun.
[OE.
ellern
, eller
, AS. ellen
, cf. LG. elloorn
; perh. akin to OHG. holantar
, holuntar
, G. holunder
; or perh. to E. alder
, n.
] (Bot.)
A genus of shrubs (
Sambucus
) having broad umbels of white flowers, and small black or red berries. Webster 1828 Edition
Elder
EL'DER
,Noun.
Definition 2024
Elder
elder
elder
See also: Elder
English
Adjective
elder
- Comparative of old: older, greater than another in age or seniority.
- The elder of the two was also an elder statesman
- 1913, Robert Barr, chapter 5, in Lord Stranleigh Abroad:
- She removed Stranleigh’s coat with a dexterity that aroused his imagination. The elder woman returned with dressings and a sponge, which she placed on a chair.
Usage notes
The normal comparative of old is older. The irregular form elder is sometimes used with family members, but otherwise rare (except in fixed expressions such as elder statesman). Elder is generally limited to attributive position (my elder brother) and does not occur in predicative position (*my brother is elder).
Translations
greater than another in age or seniority
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Noun
elder (plural elders)
- An older person or an older member, usually a leader, of some community.
- We were presented to the village elder.
- One who is older than another.
- Respect your elders.
- One who lived at an earlier period; a predecessor.
- L'Estrange
- Carry your head as your elders have done.
- L'Estrange
- An officer of a church, sometimes having teaching responsibilities.
- A clergyman authorized to administer all the sacraments.
- a travelling elder
- (US, Mormonism) One ordained to the lowest office in the Melchizedek priesthood.
- After being a member of the Church for a while, Bill was ordained to the office of elder.
- Jack had been an elder for only a few days when he received a new calling.
- (US, Mormonism) Male missionary.
- The elders are coming over for dinner tonight.
- (Mormonism, often capitalized) Title for a male missionary; title for a general authority.
- One of the long-time leaders in the Church is Elder Packer.
- (paganism and Heathenry) A pagan or Heathen priest or priestess.
Translations
elderly person
leader of a community
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officer of the church
one who lived at an earlier period
title in Mormonism
Verb
elder (third-person singular simple present elders, present participle eldering, simple past and past participle eldered)
- (Quakerism) To admonish or reprove for improper conduct by the elders of the meeting.
- I was eldered for directly responding to someone else's message in meeting for worship.
Derived terms
Derived terms
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Etymology 2
Sambucus nigra
From Middle English eldre, eller, from Old English ellærn, from Proto-Germanic *el(d)ernaz (confer Low German Elhorn, Elloorn), adjectival from Proto-Indo-European *h₁edʰ-l-i 'spruce, fir' (compare Middle Irish aidlen 'silver fir', Latin ebulum (“dwarf elder”), Old Prussian addle 'fir', Czech jedle 'silver fir', Ancient Greek ἐλάτη (elátē, “silver fir”)
Noun
elder (plural elders)
- A small tree, Sambucus nigra, having white flowers in a cluster, and edible purple berries
- Any of the other species of the genus Sambucus: small trees, shrubs or herbaceous perennials with red, purple, or white/yellow berries (some of which are poisonous).
Synonyms
- (Sambucus nigra): black elder
Derived terms
Derived terms
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Translations
Sambucus nigra
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Sambucus
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Old Swedish
Etymology
From Old Norse eldr, from Proto-Germanic *ailidaz.
Noun
elder m
- fire
- a skin disease - possibly erysipelas
Declension
Declension of elder (a-stem)
Descendants
- Swedish: eld