elder Definition

elder¹
adj

1. Older.

Thesaurus: senior, older, first-born; Antonym: younger.
2. Used before or after a person's name to distinguish them from a younger person of the same name.

Form: the elder

noun

1. A person who is older.
2. An older person, especially someone regarded as having authority.

Form: elders (often)
3. In some tribal societies: a senior member of a tribe, who is invested with authority.
4. In some Protestant Churches: a lay person who has some responsibility for pastoral care and decision-making.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon eldra, comparative of ald old.

Info:

Older is the more general adjective. Elder is restricted in use to people, and is generally only used as an adjective in the context of family relationships, as in an elder brother/sister. It is always used before a noun or pronoun, or in the elder. Elder is not used in comparisons with than: She is older (not elder) than me.

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elder²
noun

1. A kind of bush or small tree belonging to the same family as honeysuckle, with white flowers and purple-black or red berries.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon ellærn.

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old
adj older, elder, oldest, eldest

1. Advanced in age; that has existed for a long time; not young.

Thesaurus: aged, elderly, senior, ancient, antique, classic, ancestral, traditional, having one foot in the grave, old as the hills; Antonym: young, youthful.
2. Having a stated age.

Example: five years old
3. Belonging or relating to the end period of a long life or existence.

Example: old age
4. Old people as a group (see the 4b).

Form: the old
5. Worn out or shabby through long use.

Example: old shoes
Thesaurus: decrepit, worn, used, obsolete, gone to seed; Antonym: fresh, new.
6. No longer in use; out of date; old-fashioned.
7. Belonging to the past.
8. Former or previous; earliest of two or more things.

Example: went back to see their old house
9. Of long standing or long existence.

Example: an old member of the society
10. Familiar, practised or skilled through long experience.

Example: the same old excuses
11. With the characteristics, eg experience, maturity or appearance, of age.

Example: be old beyond one's years
Thesaurus: mature, adult, grown, seasoned, experienced; Antonym: immature.
12. Said of a language: that is the earliest form known or recorded.

Example: Old English
Form: Old
13. colloq, jocular
Used in expressions of familiar affection or contempt, etc.
Example: good old Bill
Example: silly old fool
14. colloq
Used for emphasis.
Example: any old how
15. colloq
Used for emphasis: great; excessive.
Example: rare old time
Form: high old (usually)
Form: rare old

noun

1. An earlier time.

Example: men of old

Derivative: oldish
adj

Idiom: as old as the hills

colloq
Very old.

Idiom: little old

colloq
A familiar affectionate or jocular way of referring to someone or something.

Idiom: of old

Formerly; a long time ago.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon eald.

Info:

See Usage Note at elder.