elder

Older than another person, especially a brother or sister.

• My elder brother lives abroad.
• Their elder daughter is at university.
• Which of the two boys is the elder?

How to use it: the elder of the two (Nora is the elder of the two sisters.)

Similar words: older

Opposites: younger

Common phrases: elder brother, elder sister, elder son

Older and often respected because of long experience.

• An elder statesman addressed the meeting.
• The elder members offered advice to the new leader.
• She became an elder figure in the artistic community.

Similar words: senior, older

Common phrases: elder statesman, elder leader, elder members

Someone who is older than you, often treated with respect.

• You should listen to your elders.
• She is my elder by three years.
• The children showed respect for their elders.

How to use it: someone’s elder (She is my elder by five years.); someone’s elder by an amount (He is her elder by ten years.)

Similar words: older person

Opposites: junior

Common phrases: respect your elder, someone’s elder, elder by years

An older, respected member of a group, often with responsibility for guiding others.

• The village elder welcomed us.
• The church elders met on Monday.
• They asked a respected elder to settle the argument.

Similar words: leader

Common phrases: village elder, church elder, community elder

A small tree with groups of white flowers and dark berries.

• An elder grows beside the gate.
• The elder has white flowers in spring.
• Birds ate the berries on the elder.

Similar words: elderberry

Common phrases: elder tree, elder flowers, elder berries

A church minister officially allowed to carry out all its main religious ceremonies.

• The elder led the communion service.
• She was ordained as an elder last year.
• Only an authorized elder could conduct that ceremony.

Similar words: minister, clergyman

Common phrases: ordained elder, Methodist elder, travelling elder

A man given the first rank in the higher priesthood of the Latter-day Saint Church.

• He was ordained an elder last year.
• The elders gathered for a priesthood meeting.
• Each elder belongs to a quorum.

Common phrases: ordained an elder, elder quorum, become an elder

If Quaker leaders do this, they speak to someone about behavior they consider wrong.

• The meeting leaders eldered him for interrupting worship.
• She was eldered after repeatedly speaking out of turn.
• Quaker leaders may elder a member whose conduct troubles the meeting.

Similar words: reprove, admonish

Common phrases: elder someone, elder a member