elder

adjective

/ˈeldə(r)/

/ˈeldər/

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[only before noun] (of people, especially two members of the same family) older
- my elder brother
- his elder sister
Topics Life stagesc1
the elder
used without a noun immediately after it to show who is the older of two people
- the elder of their two sons
the elder
(formal) used before or after somebody’s name to show that they are the older of two people who have the same name
- the elder Pitt
- Pitt the elder
Synonyms old
old
- elderly
- aged
- long-lived
- mature
These words all describe somebody/something that has lived for a long time or that usually lives for a long time.
- old having lived for a long time; no longer young:
  She’s getting old—she’s 75 next year.
- elderly (rather formal) used as a polite word for ‘old’:
  She is very busy caring for two elderly relatives.
- aged (formal) very old:
  Having aged relatives to stay in your house can be quite stressful.
- long-lived having a long life; lasting for a long time:
  Everyone in my family is exceptionally long-lived.
- mature used as a polite or humorous way of saying that somebody is no longer young:
  clothes for the mature woman
Patterns
- a(n) old/elderly/aged/long-lived/mature man/woman
- a(n) old/elderly/aged/mature gentleman/lady/couple
compare the younger

Word Originadjective Old English ieldra, eldra, of Germanic origin; related to German älter, also to old.

elder

noun

/ˈeldə(r)/

/ˈeldər/

Idioms

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elders
[plural] people of greater age, experience and authority
- Children have no respect for their elders nowadays.
- the village elders (= the old and respected people of the village)
- Traditions were passed on by the elders of the tribe.
Topics Life stagesc1
my, etc. elder
[singular] (formal) a person older than me, etc.
- He is her elder by several years.
[countable] an official in some Christian churches
[countable] a small tree with white flowers with a sweet smell (elderflowers) and bunches of small black berries (elderberries)

Word Originnoun senses 1 to 3 Old English ieldra, eldra, of Germanic origin; related to German älter, also to old. noun sense 4 Old English ellærn; related to Middle Low German ellern, elderne.

Idioms

your elders and betters

people who are older and wiser than you and whom you should respect

单词	elder
释义	elder adjective /ˈeldə(r)/ /ˈeldər/ jump to other results [only before noun] (of people, especially two members of the same family) older my elder brother his elder sister Topics Life stagesc1 the elder used without a noun immediately after it to show who is the older of two people the elder of their two sons the elder (formal) used before or after somebody’s name to show that they are the older of two people who have the same name the elder Pitt Pitt the elder Synonyms oldold elderly aged long-lived mature These words all describe somebody/something that has lived for a long time or that usually lives for a long time. old having lived for a long time; no longer young: She’s getting old—she’s 75 next year. elderly (rather formal) used as a polite word for ‘old’: She is very busy caring for two elderly relatives. aged (formal) very old: Having aged relatives to stay in your house can be quite stressful. long-lived having a long life; lasting for a long time: Everyone in my family is exceptionally long-lived. mature used as a polite or humorous way of saying that somebody is no longer young: clothes for the mature woman Patterns a(n) old/elderly/aged/long-lived/mature man/woman a(n) old/elderly/aged/mature gentleman/lady/couple compare the younger Word Originadjective Old English ieldra, eldra, of Germanic origin; related to German älter, also to old. elder noun /ˈeldə(r)/ /ˈeldər/ Idioms jump to other results elders [plural] people of greater age, experience and authority Children have no respect for their elders nowadays. the village elders (= the old and respected people of the village) Traditions were passed on by the elders of the tribe. Topics Life stagesc1 my, etc. elder [singular] (formal) a person older than me, etc. He is her elder by several years. [countable] an official in some Christian churches [countable] a small tree with white flowers with a sweet smell (elderflowers) and bunches of small black berries (elderberries) Word Originnoun senses 1 to 3 Old English ieldra, eldra, of Germanic origin; related to German älter, also to old. noun sense 4 Old English ellærn; related to Middle Low German ellern, elderne. Idioms your elders and betters people who are older and wiser than you and whom you should respect
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