ELDER
What does "ELDER" mean?
A person who is older, or who holds authority and respect by virtue of age.
Meanings
- An older person, especially one respected for experience and wisdom. In many cultures the elders settle disputes the courts never hear.
- An official leader in certain churches or communities. The elders of the congregation laid hands on the new minister.
- Of greater age; senior, especially between two related people. Her elder brother inherited the farm.
- A small tree or shrub bearing white flowers and dark berries (elderberry). We picked elder flowers to make cordial.
Word origin
The 'older person' sense is from Old English 'eldra', comparative of 'eald' (old). The tree sense is a separate word, Old English 'ellaern', of uncertain origin and unrelated to age.
Remember it
An ELDER has held an 'ELD' (old age) longer than you - the word is literally 'old-er'.
A little poem
The young ask which road leads out.
The elder has walked them all back-
and points, without a word, to the one she'd take again.
tercet
Wordplay
- The village elder and the elder tree both bear fruit late in the year - one gives berries, the other gives advice nobody picked while it was ripe.
What it teaches
Age alone makes you older; only paying attention makes you an elder.
Quick facts
What does ELDER mean?
A person who is older, or who holds authority and respect by virtue of age.
Is ELDER a valid word?
Yes — ELDER is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.
How many letters is ELDER?
ELDER has 5 letters and 2 syllables.
Where does ELDER come from?
The 'older person' sense is from Old English 'eldra', comparative of 'eald' (old). The tree sense is a separate word, Old English 'ellaern', of uncertain origin and unrelated to age.
What can ELDER teach us?
Age alone makes you older; only paying attention makes you an elder.
How players do
Be the first to solve it.