Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Venerable
Ven′er-a-ble
,Adj.
[L.
venerabilis
: cf. F. vénérable
.] 1.
Capable of being venerated; worthy of veneration or reverence; deserving of honor and respect; – generally implying an advanced age;
as, a
. venerable
magistrate; a venerable
parentHe was a man of eternal self-sacrifice, and that is always
venerable
. De Quincey.
Venerable
men! you have come down to us from a former generation. D. Webster.
2.
Rendered sacred by religious or other associations; that should be regarded with awe and treated with reverence;
as, the
. venerable
walls of a temple or a church☞ This word is employed in the Church of England as a title for an archdeacon. In the Roman Catholic Church, venerable is applied to those who have attained to the lowest of the three recognized degrees of sanctity, but are not among the beatified, nor the canonized.
– Ven′er-a-ble-ness
, Noun.
Ven′er-a-bly
, adv.
Webster 1828 Edition
Venerable
VEN'ERABLE
,Adj.
1.
Worthy of veneration or reverence; deserving of honor and respect; as a venerable magistrate; a venerable parent.2.
Rendered sacred by religious associations, or being consecrated to God and to his worship; to be regarded with awe and treated with reverence; as the venerable walls of a temple or church.The places where saints have suffered for the testimony of Christ - rendered venerable by their death.