# elder
## English
### Pronunciation

* (General Australian) IPA: /ˈeldə/
* (Received Pronunciation) IPA: /ˈɛldə/
** Audio (Southern England):(file)
* (General American) IPA: /ˈɛldɚ/
* (Scotland) IPA: /ˈɛldəɹ/
* Rhymes: -ɛldə(ɹ)
* Hyphenation: el‧der

### Etymology 1

From Middle English eldre, from Old English eldra, yldra, ieldra, from Proto-Germanic *alþizô. The vowel change from a to e triggered by the following i is called umlaut or I-mutation.

#### Adjective

elder
* comparative degree of old: older, greater than another in age or seniority.
    My elder brother just got married.
    The elder of the two was also an elder statesman.
** 1913, Robert Barr, chapter 5, in Lord Stranleigh Abroad‎:She removed Stranleigh’s coat with a dexterity that aroused his imagination. The elder woman returned with dressings and a sponge, which she placed on a chair.

##### Usage notes

* The normal comparative of old is older. The irregular form elder is sometimes used with family members, but is otherwise rare (except in fixed expressions such as elder statesman). Elder is generally limited to attributive position (my elder brother) and does not occur in predicative position (My brother is older/*elder). This also implies that elder cannot be followed by than.

##### Synonyms

* geriatric, long in the tooth, on in years; see also Thesaurus:elderly

##### Translations
#### Noun

elder (plural elders)
* A leader or senior member of a tribe or community, often of considerable age, respected as an authority figure, especially in a counselling, consultative, or ceremonial role.
    We were presented to the village elder.
    At the friendship centre, you can arrange to meet with a social worker or an elder.
** 1995, Julius Evola, “The Two Paths in the Afterlife”, in Guido Stucco, transl., Revolt against the Modern World‎, Rochester, Vermont: Inner Traditions International, translation of Rivolta contro il mondo moderno, →ISBN, page 50:People saw in the elders, who were closer to death, the manifestation of the divine force that was thought to achieve its full liberation at death.
** 2022 August 25, Seyi Akiwowo, How to Stay Safe Online: A digital self-care toolkit for developing resilience and allyship, Penguin UK, →ISBN:I probably wouldn't be here talking about this very topic if it weren't for the few but mighty elders in the tech and gender rights spaces. Folks like South Africa-based Jan Moolman from the Association for Progressive Communications […]
* (now chiefly US) An old person.
** 2022, Ruth Taber, "Opinion: We’ll be healthier and happier if we adjust our thinking about aging", El Paso Matters
    Treating illness among society’s elders is challenging since board-certified geriatricians (physicians trained, knowledgeable and certified in treating older patients) are in short supply, here in El Paso and throughout the country.
* (relational, chiefly in the plural, chiefly with possessive determiners) One who is older than another.
    Respect your elders.
* One who lived at an earlier period; a predecessor.
** 1692, Roger L’Estrange, “ (please specify the fable number.) (please specify the name of the fable.)”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […], →OCLC:Carry your Head […] as your Elders have done.
* An officer of a church, sometimes having teaching responsibilities.
* A clergyman authorized to administer all the sacraments.
    a travelling elder
* (US, Mormonism) One ordained to the lowest office in the Melchizedek priesthood.
    After being a member of the Church for a while, Bill was ordained to the office of elder.
    Jack had been an elder for only a few days when he received a new calling.
* (US, Mormonism) A male missionary.
    The elders are coming over for dinner tonight.
* (Mormonism, often capitalized) Title for a male missionary; title for a general authority.
    One of the long-time leaders in the Church is Elder Packer.
* (Germanic paganism) A pagan or Heathen priest or priestess.

##### Synonyms

* (older person): eld, mzee, senior; see also Thesaurus:old person
* (one who lived at an earlier period): antecessor, forerunner; see also Thesaurus:predecessor

##### Translations
#### Verb

elder (third-person singular simple present elders, present participle eldering, simple past and past participle eldered)
* (Quakerism) To admonish or reprove for improper conduct by the elders of the meeting.
    I was eldered for directly responding to someone else's message in meeting for worship.

#### Derived terms

* elder abuse
* elderate
* eldercare
* eldercide
* elderdom
* elderfather
* elder-gun
* elderhood
* elderish
* elderly
* eldermother
* eldership
* elderspeak
* elder statesman
* elder stateswoman
* elderwed
* eldress
* fore-elder

### Etymology 2

Wikispecies
From Middle English eldre, eller, ellern, from Old English ellærn, from Proto-Germanic *elernaz, *eldernaz (compare Low German Elhorn, Elloorn).

#### Noun

elder (plural elders)
* A small tree, Sambucus nigra, having white flowers in a cluster, and edible purple berries.
** 1940, Rosetta E. Clarkson, Green Enchantments: The Magic Spell of Gardens, The Macmillan Company, page 273:Have a tree or two the witches particularly like, such as the alder, larch, cypress and hemlock; then, to counteract any possible evil effects, there must be a holly, yew, hazel, elder, mountain ash or juniper.
* Any of the other species of the genus Sambucus: small trees, shrubs or herbaceous perennials with red, purple, or white/yellow berries (some of which are poisonous).

##### Synonyms

* (Sambucus nigra): black elder

##### Derived terms

* black elder (Sambucus nigra)
* box elder (Acer negundo)
* box elder maple
* Chinese elder (Sambucus javanica)
* dwarf elder (Sambucus ebulus)
* elderberry (Sambucus spp.)
* elder-blow
* elderbush
* elderflower
* eldern
* elderwood
* ground elder
* marsh elder (Iva spp.)
* salt marsh elder
* yellow elder

##### Translations

    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

##### See also

* alder (Alnus spp.)

### Etymology 3

Perhaps from Proto-Germanic *aliþro (“udder”), from *alaną (“to nourish”). Cognate with dialectal Dutch elder (“udder”).

#### Noun

elder
* A cow's udder, especially used as food.

### References

* ↑ Treble, H. A. An A.B.C. of English Usage. American ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1937, page 133
* ↑ “elder”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.
* “elder”, in Collins English Dictionary.

### Anagrams

* Edler

## Basque
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /elder/ [el̪.d̪er]
* Audio:(file)
* Rhymes: -elder, -er
* Hyphenation: el‧der

### Noun

elder inan
* slime

## Norwegian Bokmål
### Verb

elder
* present of elde

## Norwegian Nynorsk
### Noun

elder f
* indefinite plural of elde

### Verb

elder
* present of elda

## Old Swedish
### Alternative forms

* ᚽᛚᚦᚽᚱ

### Etymology

From Old Norse eldr, from Proto-Germanic *ailidaz.

### Noun

elder m
* fire
* a skin disease - possibly erysipelas

#### Descendants

* Swedish: eld