| 释义 |
el·der
I. \ˈeldə(r)\ noun
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English eldre, eller, ellern, from Old English ellærn, ellen; probably akin to Old English alor alder — more at alder
: a shrub or tree of the genus Sambucus; especially Britain : bourtree
II. \ˈeldə(r)\ adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English yldra, ieldra, eldra, compar. of ald, eald old — more at old
1. : of earlier birth
< much the elder of the two — Norman Demuth >
: of greater age
< the elder service flag was a … cobwebby bunting — MacKinlay Kantor >
: older
< great, rich, established elder nations — Joseph Alsop >
2. : of or relating to earlier times : former
< his poems are of the elder New England tradition — H.V.Gregory >
3. obsolete : of or relating to a more advanced time of life : later
< I tender you my service raw and young; which elder days shall ripen — Shakespeare >
4. : of greater experience : senior
< an elder educator >
III. noun
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English eldre, from Old English yldra, ieldra, eldra, from yldra, ieldra, eldra, adjective
1. : one who lived at an earlier period — usually used in plural
< rules and standards passed down from the elders — Paul Woodring >
2.
a. : one who is older : senior — usually used in plural
< young people ski and their elders golf — S.H.Holbrook >
b. archaic : an aged person
< the wither'd elder hath his Poll claw'd like a Parrot — Shakespeare >
3. [Middle English, translation of Late Latin senior] : a member of a governing body or ruling class made up of those whose age or experience confers a special dignity on them : superior — usually used in plural
< hereditary village elders governing by common consent … held political authority beyond the courts — J.M.Van der Kroef >
4. [translation of Late Latin presbyter & Greek presbyteros] : any of certain church officers or leaders: as
a. : presbyter 1
< at first the Christian churches followed the precedent of the synagogues in their organization and the elders were the official leaders — E.H.Sugden >
b. : a permanent officer elected by a Presbyterian congregation and ordained to serve on the session and assist the pastor at communion
c. : a fully ordained Methodist minister
< made a deacon in 1790 and ordained elder in 1793 — H.E.Starr >
d. : one ordained to the Melchizedek priesthood in the Mormon Church
IV. noun
(-s)
Etymology: Flemish; probably akin to Old English ūder udder — more at udder
dialect : udder |