Definition of elder

• a. - Older; more aged, or existing longer.
• a. - Born before another; prior in years; senior; earlier; older; as, his elder brother died in infancy; -- opposed to younger, and now commonly applied to a son, daughter, child, brother, etc.
• a. - One who is older; a superior in age; a senior.
• a. - An aged person; one who lived at an earlier period; a predecessor.
• a. - A person who, on account of his age, occupies the office of ruler or judge; hence, a person occupying any office appropriate to such as have the experience and dignity which age confers; as, the elders of Israel; the elders of the synagogue; the elders in the apostolic church.
• a. - A clergyman authorized to administer all the sacraments; as, a traveling elder.
• n. - A genus of shrubs (Sambucus) having broad umbels of white flowers, and small black or red berries.