Elder
/ˈɛl.dər/noun
A person of greater age or seniority, often holding authority or respect in a community.
Did you know?In ancient cultures, elders were often seen as intermediaries between the living and the spirit world, wielding knowledge of the mystical and the unseen.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₂el-
“to grow, to nourish”
Old English
Old English
ealdor
“father, leader, or elder, denoting authority and respect”
Old English
Old English
eld
“age, old age; a term of reverence for elders”
Middle English
Middle English
elder
“older, senior; used to denote authority in a community”
Modern English
English
elder
“a term for a senior individual, reflecting wisdom and experience”