"elder" meaning in English

See elder in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

IPA: /ˈɛldə/ [UK], /ˈɛldɚ/ [US] Audio: en-us-elder.ogg [US], LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-elder.wav [UK] Forms: older [comparative], oldest [superlative], old [positive], elder [comparative], eldest [superlative]
Head templates: {{adj|old|older|oldest}} [POS TABLE], {{adj|old|elder|eldest}} [POS TABLE]
  1. An elder person is one who is older, usually over 65 years of age, and often used to show respect. Synonyms: older
    Sense id: simple-elder-en-adj-S3U97Cye
  2. The elder of two people is the one who is older. Synonyms: older
    Sense id: simple-elder-en-adj-owa~vkYD

Noun

IPA: /ˈɛldə/ [UK], /ˈɛldɚ/ [US] Audio: en-us-elder.ogg [US], LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-elder.wav [UK] Forms: elder [singular], elders [plural]
Head templates: {{noun}} [POS TABLE]
  1. Your elder is somebody who is older than you.
    If somebody is x years your elder, they are older than you by x years.
    Synonyms: senior
    Sense id: simple-elder-en-noun-D-hb0Bic
  2. An elder is an older respected person, often a leader. Synonyms: senior
    Sense id: simple-elder-en-noun-Bo2KdYjF
  3. An elder is a small tree usually with white flowers and black berries. Synonyms: elderberry
    Sense id: simple-elder-en-noun-b-OHxMwe
{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "older",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "oldest",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "old",
      "tags": [
        "positive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "elder",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "eldest",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "old",
        "2": "older",
        "3": "oldest"
      },
      "expansion": "[POS TABLE]",
      "name": "adj"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "old",
        "2": "elder",
        "3": "eldest"
      },
      "expansion": "[POS TABLE]",
      "name": "adj"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": "el‧der",
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The white-haired Mandela looked like an elder statesman in his suit and tie."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An elder person is one who is older, usually over 65 years of age, and often used to show respect."
      ],
      "id": "simple-elder-en-adj-S3U97Cye",
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "older"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "I saw her at a meeting where I had gone with my elder brother."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The elder of two people is the one who is older."
      ],
      "id": "simple-elder-en-adj-owa~vkYD",
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "older"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈɛldə/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "sampa": "/\"Eld@/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈɛldɚ/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "sampa": "/\"Eld@`/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-elder.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-elder.wav",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "elder"
}

{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "elder",
      "tags": [
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "elders",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "expansion": "[POS TABLE]",
      "name": "noun"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": "el‧der",
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "glosses": [
        "Your elder is somebody who is older than you.",
        "If somebody is x years your elder, they are older than you by x years."
      ],
      "id": "simple-elder-en-noun-D-hb0Bic",
      "raw_tags": [
        "countable"
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "senior"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "My father is an elder in the local church."
        },
        {
          "text": "Aksakal was an elected village elder and an honorable and respectable man."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An elder is an older respected person, often a leader."
      ],
      "id": "simple-elder-en-noun-Bo2KdYjF",
      "raw_tags": [
        "countable"
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "senior"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "glosses": [
        "An elder is a small tree usually with white flowers and black berries."
      ],
      "id": "simple-elder-en-noun-b-OHxMwe",
      "raw_tags": [
        "countable"
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "elderberry"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈɛldə/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "sampa": "/\"Eld@/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈɛldɚ/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "sampa": "/\"Eld@`/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-elder.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-elder.wav",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "elder"
}
{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "older",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "oldest",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "old",
      "tags": [
        "positive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "elder",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "eldest",
      "tags": [
        "superlative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "old",
        "2": "older",
        "3": "oldest"
      },
      "expansion": "[POS TABLE]",
      "name": "adj"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "old",
        "2": "elder",
        "3": "eldest"
      },
      "expansion": "[POS TABLE]",
      "name": "adj"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": "el‧der",
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The white-haired Mandela looked like an elder statesman in his suit and tie."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An elder person is one who is older, usually over 65 years of age, and often used to show respect."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "older"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "I saw her at a meeting where I had gone with my elder brother."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The elder of two people is the one who is older."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "older"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈɛldə/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "sampa": "/\"Eld@/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈɛldɚ/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "sampa": "/\"Eld@`/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-elder.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-elder.wav",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "elder"
}

{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "elder",
      "tags": [
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "elders",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "expansion": "[POS TABLE]",
      "name": "noun"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": "el‧der",
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "Countable nouns"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Your elder is somebody who is older than you.",
        "If somebody is x years your elder, they are older than you by x years."
      ],
      "raw_tags": [
        "countable"
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "senior"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "Countable nouns"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "My father is an elder in the local church."
        },
        {
          "text": "Aksakal was an elected village elder and an honorable and respectable man."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An elder is an older respected person, often a leader."
      ],
      "raw_tags": [
        "countable"
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "senior"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "Countable nouns"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An elder is a small tree usually with white flowers and black berries."
      ],
      "raw_tags": [
        "countable"
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "elderberry"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈɛldə/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "sampa": "/\"Eld@/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈɛldɚ/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "sampa": "/\"Eld@`/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-elder.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-elder.wav",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "elder"
}

Download raw JSONL data for elder meaning in English (2.5kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-12-21 from the simplewiktionary dump dated 2024-12-20 using wiktextract (d8cb2f3 and 4e554ae). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.