I. ˈeldə(r) noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English eldre, eller, ellern, from Old English ellærn, ellen; probably akin to Old English alor alder — more at alder
: a shrub or tree of the genus Sambucus ; especially Britain : bourtree
II. ˈeldə(r) adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English yldra, ieldra, eldra, compar. of ald, eald old — more at old
1. : of earlier birth
much the elder of the two — Norman Demuth
: of greater age
the elder service flag was a … cobwebby bunting — MacKinlay Kantor
: older
great, rich, established elder nations — Joseph Alsop
2. : of or relating to earlier times : former
his poems are of the elder New England tradition — H.V.Gregory
3. obsolete : of or relating to a more advanced time of life : later
I tender you my service raw and young; which elder days shall ripen — Shakespeare
4. : of greater experience : senior
an elder educator
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English eldre, from Old English yldra, ieldra, eldra, from yldra, ieldra, eldra, adjective
1. : one who lived at an earlier period — usually used in plural
rules and standards passed down from the elders — Paul Woodring
2.
a. : one who is older : senior — usually used in plural
young people ski and their elders golf — S.H.Holbrook
b. archaic : an aged person
the wither'd elder hath his Poll claw'd like a Parrot — Shakespeare
3.
[Middle English, translation of Late Latin senior ]
: a member of a governing body or ruling class made up of those whose age or experience confers a special dignity on them : superior — usually used in plural
hereditary village elders governing by common consent … held political authority beyond the courts — J.M.Van der Kroef
4.
[translation of Late Latin presbyter & Greek presbyteros ]
: any of certain church officers or leaders: as
a. : presbyter 1
at first the Christian churches followed the precedent of the synagogues in their organization and the elders were the official leaders — E.H.Sugden
b. : a permanent officer elected by a Presbyterian congregation and ordained to serve on the session and assist the pastor at communion
c. : a fully ordained Methodist minister
made a deacon in 1790 and ordained elder in 1793 — H.E.Starr
d. : one ordained to the Melchizedek priesthood in the Mormon Church
IV. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Flemish; probably akin to Old English ūder udder — more at udder
dialect : udder