1. [n]  a person who is older than you are
2. [n]  any of various church officers
3. [n]  any of numerous shrubs or small trees of temperate and subtropical northern hemisphere having white flowers and berrylike fruit
4. [adj]  older brother or sister; "big sister"
5. [adj]  used of the older of two persons of the same name especially used to distinguish a father from his son; "Bill Adams, Sr."

1. \Eld"er\, a. [AS. yldra, compar. of eald old. See {Old}.]
   1. Older; more aged, or existing longer.
   
            Let the elder men among us emulate their own earlier
            deeds.                                --Jowett
                                                  (Thucyd. )
   
   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.
   
            The elder shall serve the younger.    --Gen. xxv.
                                                  23.
   
            But ask of elder days, earth's vernal hour. --Keble.
   
   {Elder hand} (Card Playing), the hand playing, or having the
      right to play, first. --Hoyle.
   
   

2. \Eld"er\, 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.
   
   2. An aged person; one who lived at an earlier period; a
      predecessor.
   
            Carry your head as your elders have done.
                                                  --L'Estrange.
   
   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.
   
   Note: 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.
   
   4. (M. E. Ch.) A clergyman authorized to administer all the
      sacraments; as, a traveling elder.
   
   {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.
   
   

3. \El"der\, 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.
   
   Note: 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.
   
   {Box elder}. See under 1st {Box}.
   
   {Dwarf elder}. See {Danewort}.
   
   {Elder tree}. (Bot.) Same as {Elder}. --Shak.
   
   {Marsh elder}, the cranberry tree {Viburnum Opulus}).
   
   

a name frequently used in the Old Testament as denoting a person clothed with authority, and entitled to respect and reverence (Gen. 50:7). It also denoted a political office (Num. 22:7). The "elders of Israel" held a rank among the people indicative of authority. Moses opened his commission to them (Ex. 3:16). They attended Moses on all important occasions. Seventy of them attended on him at the giving of the law (Ex. 24:1). Seventy also were selected from the whole number to bear with Moses the burden of the people (Num. 11:16, 17). The "elder" is the keystone of the social and political fabric wherever the patriarchal system exists. At the present day this is the case among the Arabs, where the sheik (i.e., "the old man") is the highest authority in the tribe. The body of the "elders" of Israel were the representatives of the people from the very first, and were recognized as such by Moses. All down through the history of the Jews we find mention made of the elders as exercising authority among the people. They appear as governors (Deut. 31:28), as local magistrates (16:18), administering justice (19:12). They were men of extensive influence (1 Sam. 30:26-31). In New Testament times they also appear taking an active part in public affairs (Matt. 16:21; 21:23; 26:59).

The Jewish eldership was transferred from the old dispensation to the new. "The creation of the office of elder is nowhere recorded in the New Testament, as in the case of deacons and apostles, because the latter offices were created to meet new and special emergencies, while the former was transmitted from the earlies times. In other words, the office of elder was the only permanent essential office of the church under either dispensation."

The "elders" of the New Testament church were the "pastors" (Eph. 4:11), "bishops or overseers" (Acts 20:28), "leaders" and "rulers" (Heb. 13:7; 1 Thess. 5:12) of the flock. Everywhere in the New Testament bishop and presbyter are titles given to one and the same officer of the Christian church. He who is called presbyter or elder on account of his age or gravity is also called bishop or overseer with reference to the duty that lay upon him (Titus 1:5-7; Acts 20:17-28; Phil. 1:1).