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
Hanh Truong, Sacramento Bee, 7 May 2024
It was excavated at the Shanidar Cave, in Iraqi Kurdistan, where archeologists found evidence that Neanderthal elders were cared for by community members and buried with intent.
—Maya Jasanoff, The New Yorker, 6 May 2024
Over the past decade, dozens of teams have formed and seniors can be found honing their skills, serves and game strategies in tribal communities across the region One Washington state tribe even included a game of chair volleyball with tribal council members as part of a meeting with tribal elders.
—Debra Utacia Krol, The Arizona Republic, 5 May 2024
The assault had occurred six days after a judge released him from his previous arrest – on a charge of battering an elder.
—Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 3 May 2024
In Michigan, during chats between wake, funeral, and repast, elders brought up those who can’t get basic health care, much less a proper burial or any of the rituals that are among our most sacred obligations.
—Edwidge Danticat, The New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2024
Having essentially told the government to go to hell, Gunn and the tribal elders finally made their way to the fight venue, a makeshift arena in a baking-hot parking lot—where, incredibly, over five thousand people had gathered to watch the event.
—Stayton Bonner, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2024
But that doesn’t mean the virus is deadlier for our elders: In the first six months of the pandemic, there were three times more deaths from the virus in that 85-and-older age group than there were in the most recent six-month period.
—Harriet Blair Rowan, The Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2024
Behind the casino, dozens of tribal apartments and single-story houses for elders dot a neighborhood with a breathtaking view of the Siskiyou Mountains.
—Hannah Wiley, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2024
Andrew Sheeler, Sacramento Bee, 30 Mar. 2024
The Red Sox elder statesman had gotten to first base in the mid-June matchup, but dissatisfied, broke for second well before the Yankees pitcher started his windup.
—Varun Shankar, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Aug. 2023
Because of a shortage of elder-care infrastructure and workers, many of them will face the disease with far too little support.
—Marion Renault, The New Yorker, 23 Nov. 2022
In 1988, Rinke's elder brother and two other pilots died when their training flight crashed just after takeoff at what was then Oakland-Pontiac Airport in Waterford.
—Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press, 4 Apr. 2022
In October 2021, Representative John Larsen (D–CT) introduced a comprehensive plan to save Social Security and eliminate elder poverty.
—Teresa Ghilarducci, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2022
Noun
In Sacramento, the top allergens are oak, elder and juniper trees, according to Pollen.com.
—Hanh Truong, Sacramento Bee, 7 May 2024
It was excavated at the Shanidar Cave, in Iraqi Kurdistan, where archeologists found evidence that Neanderthal elders were cared for by community members and buried with intent.
—Maya Jasanoff, The New Yorker, 6 May 2024
Over the past decade, dozens of teams have formed and seniors can be found honing their skills, serves and game strategies in tribal communities across the region One Washington state tribe even included a game of chair volleyball with tribal council members as part of a meeting with tribal elders.
—Debra Utacia Krol, The Arizona Republic, 5 May 2024
The assault had occurred six days after a judge released him from his previous arrest – on a charge of battering an elder.
—Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 3 May 2024
In Michigan, during chats between wake, funeral, and repast, elders brought up those who can’t get basic health care, much less a proper burial or any of the rituals that are among our most sacred obligations.
—Edwidge Danticat, The New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2024
Having essentially told the government to go to hell, Gunn and the tribal elders finally made their way to the fight venue, a makeshift arena in a baking-hot parking lot—where, incredibly, over five thousand people had gathered to watch the event.
—Stayton Bonner, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2024
But that doesn’t mean the virus is deadlier for our elders: In the first six months of the pandemic, there were three times more deaths from the virus in that 85-and-older age group than there were in the most recent six-month period.
—Harriet Blair Rowan, The Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2024
Behind the casino, dozens of tribal apartments and single-story houses for elders dot a neighborhood with a breathtaking view of the Siskiyou Mountains.
—Hannah Wiley, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2024
Adjective
Kirby Torres, 38, who has been in custody since 2020, will serve at least 20 years of that sentence before becoming eligible for consideration of elder parole, according to the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office.
—Andrew Sheeler, Sacramento Bee, 30 Mar. 2024
The Red Sox elder statesman had gotten to first base in the mid-June matchup, but dissatisfied, broke for second well before the Yankees pitcher started his windup.
—Varun Shankar, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Aug. 2023
Because of a shortage of elder-care infrastructure and workers, many of them will face the disease with far too little support.
—Marion Renault, The New Yorker, 23 Nov. 2022
In 1988, Rinke's elder brother and two other pilots died when their training flight crashed just after takeoff at what was then Oakland-Pontiac Airport in Waterford.
—Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press, 4 Apr. 2022
In October 2021, Representative John Larsen (D–CT) introduced a comprehensive plan to save Social Security and eliminate elder poverty.
—Teresa Ghilarducci, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2022
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 11 May. 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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