Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Elder \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.

Elder \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.

Elder \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}).

Source : WordNet®

elder
     n 1: a person who is older than you are [syn: {senior}]
     2: any of numerous shrubs or small trees of temperate and
        subtropical northern hemisphere having white flowers and
        berrylike fruit [syn: {elderberry bush}]
     3: any of various church officers

elder
     adj 1: used of the older of two persons of the same name especially
            used to distinguish a father from his son; "Bill
            Adams, Sr." [syn: {older}, {sr.}]
     2: older brother or sister; "big sister" [syn: {big(a)}, {older}]
        [ant: {little(a)}]