a. [ AS. yldra, compar. of eald old. See Old. ] 1. Older; more aged, or existing longer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Let the elder men among us emulate their own earlier deeds. Jowett (Thucyd. ) [ 1913 Webster ]

2. 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

The elder shall serve the younger. Gen. xxv. 23. [ 1913 Webster ]

But ask of elder days, earth's vernal hour. Keble. [ 1913 Webster ]

Elder hand (Card Playing), the hand playing, or having the right to play, first. Hoyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. ellern, eller, AS. ellen, cf. LG. elloorn; perh. akin to OHG. holantar, holuntar, G. holunder; or perh. to E. alder, n. ] (Bot.) A genus of shrubs (Sambucus) having broad umbels of white flowers, and small black or red berries. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The common North American species is Sambucus Canadensis; the common European species (S. nigra) forms a small tree. The red-berried elder is S. pubens. The berries are diaphoretic and aperient. The European elder (Sambucus nigra) is also called the elderberry, bourtree, Old World elder, black elder, and common elder. [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ]

Box elder. See under 1st Box. --
Dwarf elder. See Danewort. --
Elder tree. (Bot.) Same as Elder. Shak. --
Marsh elder, the cranberry tree Viburnum Opulus). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. ealdor an elder, prince, fr. eald old. See Old, and cf. Elder, a., Alderman. ] 1. One who is older; a superior in age; a senior. 1 Tim. v. 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An aged person; one who lived at an earlier period; a predecessor. [ 1913 Webster ]

Carry your head as your elders have done. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In the modern Presbyterian churches, elders are lay officers who, with the minister, compose the church session, with authority to inspect and regulate matters of religion and discipline. In some churches, pastors or clergymen are called elders, or presbyters. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (M. E. Ch.) A clergyman authorized to administer all the sacraments; as, a traveling elder. [ 1913 Webster ]

Presiding elder (Meth. Ch.), an elder commissioned by a bishop to have the oversight of the churches and preachers in a certain district. --
Ruling elder, a lay presbyter or member of a Presbyterian church session. Schaff. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) 1. The berrylike drupe of the elder. That of the Old World elder (Sambucus nigra) and that of the American sweet elder (S. Canadensis) are sweetish acid, and are eaten as a berry or made into wines or jellies. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. + WordNet 1.5 ]

2. the European variety of elder (see 3rd elder), a common black-fruited shrub or small tree of Europe and Asia; the fruit is used for wines and jellies.
Syn. -- bourtree, black elder, common elder, European elder, Sambucus nigra. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Somewhat old; elderly. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Somewhat old; advanced beyond middle age; bordering on old age; as, elderly people. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Made of elder. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

He would discharge us as boys do eldern guns. Marston. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The state of being older; seniority. “Paternity an eldership.” Sir W. Raleigh. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Office of an elder; collectively, a body of elders. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) Danewort. [ 1913 Webster ]