I. el ‧ der 1 /ˈeldə $ -ər/ BrE AmE adjective especially British English
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: ieldra , from eald 'old' ]
the elder of two people, especially brothers and sisters, is the one who was born first OPP younger
elder brother/son/sister/daughter etc
His elder son Liam became a lawyer.
Sarah is the elder of the two.
► Do not say ‘elder than someone’. Say older than someone : She was two years older than me.
II. elder 2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Sense 1-5: Origin: ⇨ ↑ elder 1 ]
[ Sense 6: Language: Old English ; Origin: ellærn ]
1 . be sb’s elder formal to be older than someone else
be two/ten etc years sb’s elder
Janet’s sister was eight years her elder.
2 . sb’s elders (and betters) people who are older than you and who you should respect
3 . a member of a tribe or other social group who is important and respected because they are old:
a meeting of the village elders
4 . someone who has an official position of responsibility in some Christian churches
5 . elder abuse the crime of harming an old person
6 . a small wild tree that has white flowers and black BERRIES