elder

Plural: elders

Noun

• An older person, often with wisdom or authority.
• a person who is older than you are
• any of numerous shrubs or small trees of temperate and subtropical northern hemisphere having white flowers and berrylike fruit
• any of various church officers
• A leader or senior member of a tribe or community, often of considerable age, respected as an authority figure, especially in a counselling, consultative, or ceremonial role.
• An old person.
• One who is older than another.
• One who lived at an earlier period; a predecessor.
• An officer of a church, sometimes having teaching responsibilities.
• A clergyman authorized to administer all the sacraments.
• One ordained to the lowest office in the Melchizedek priesthood.
• A male missionary.
• Title for a male missionary; title for a general authority.
• A pagan or Heathen priest or priestess.
• 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).
• A cow's udder, especially used as food.

Adjective Satellite

• used of the older of two persons of the same name especially used to distinguish a father from his son

Adj

• comparative degree of old: older, greater than another in age or seniority.

Verb

• To admonish or reprove for improper conduct by the elders of the meeting.

Examples

• a travelling elder
• After being a member of the Church for a while, Bill was ordained to the office of elder.
• At the friendship centre, you can arrange to meet with a social worker or an elder.
• He consulted the elder of the Scrabble club for advice on challenging obscure words.
• I was eldered for directly responding to someone else's message in meeting for worship.
• It's typical for elder married couples to live in retirement homes.
• Jack had been an elder for only a few days when he received a new calling.
• One of the long-time leaders in the Church is Elder Packer.
• Respect your elders.
• The elder of the two was also an elder statesman.
• The elders are coming over for dinner tonight.
• We were presented to the village elder.

Synonyms

elderberry bush, older, senior, sr., antecessor, black elder, eld, elderly, forerunner, geriatric, long in the tooth, mzee, old person, on in years, predecessor

Related Words

alder

Anagrams of elder