1
: of earlier birth or greater age
his elder brother
2
: of or relating to earlier times : former
3
archaic
: of or relating to a more advanced time of life
4
: prior or superior in rank, office, or validity
1
: one living in an earlier period
2
a
: one who is older : senior
a child trying to please her elders
b
: an aged person
3
: one having authority by virtue of age and experience
the village elders
4
: any of various officers of religious groups: such as
b
: a permanent officer elected by a Presbyterian congregation and ordained to serve on the session and assist the pastor at communion
c
d
: a leader of the Shakers
e
: a Mormon ordained to the Melchizedek priesthood
Synonyms
Examples of elder in a Sentence
Noun (2)
in that Asian society elders are accorded great respect
as your elder in the company, he is within his rights to tell you what to do
it wouldn't hurt to show a little more respect for your elders
as the elder of the contingent of living former presidents, he was accorded a place of highest honor at the ceremonies
Recent Examples on the Web
Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 25 Oct. 2024
In voiceover, Ai fondly recalls her own uncles and aunts sneaking out to clubs at night, partying all weekend, clashing with their elders and the more puritanical past generations stunned by the appropriation of sexier dress, style, and musical verve.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 25 Oct. 2024
Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 25 May 2024
My elder millennials will remember: Before there was Zendaya to reliably shut down the Met Gala red carpet every year, there was Sarah Jessica Parker.
—Leah Prinzivalli, Allure, 6 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for elder 
Noun
This everyday warfare, waged against the neighbors and teachers and elders and bus drivers who administer the polls, and in turn democracy, may be more consequential than any single vote or outcome.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 25 Oct. 2024
In voiceover, Ai fondly recalls her own uncles and aunts sneaking out to clubs at night, partying all weekend, clashing with their elders and the more puritanical past generations stunned by the appropriation of sexier dress, style, and musical verve.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 25 Oct. 2024
Adjective
Developer Raul Masvidal, a Miami elder statesman with the kind of name recognition built from years of banking, philanthropy and associations with governors and senators to fuel a candidacy for Miami mayor, has died.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 25 May 2024
My elder millennials will remember: Before there was Zendaya to reliably shut down the Met Gala red carpet every year, there was Sarah Jessica Parker.
—Leah Prinzivalli, Allure, 6 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for elder
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'elder.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Elder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elder. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
elder
1 of 3 noun
el·der
ˈel-dər 
elder
2 of 3 adjective
: of greater age
the elder cousin
Etymology
Noun
Old English ellærn "elder tree"
Adjective
Old English ieldra, comparative form of eald "old"
Medical Definition
elder
noun
el·der
ˈel-dər
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