[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/elder.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / elder

[← E](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/E/)

# elder

«elder» in Mova's school dictionary: **older, often said of a brother or sister: «my elder sister»** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

adjective (elder, eldest); noun (an elder, elders; elder tree)

### meaning for a pupil

1) Elder means older, often said of a brother or sister: «my elder sister». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/elder/#m1)

2) An elder is an older person, often one who is respected and wise in a family or group. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/elder/#m2)

3) An elder is a small tree with white flowers and dark berries (elderberries). [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/elder/#m3)

### sense in the lessons

compares ages; «elder by 3 years» means the age difference is 3; in families: the elder child, the eldest of three; in many cultures, including First Nations, Aboriginal and Maori communities, elders are respected for their knowledge; in manners: be polite to your elders; phrases: «elder brother», «eldest son», «respect your elders»

### examples

- Her elder brother is 12. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/elder/#x1)
- His elder sister is 4 years older than him. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/elder/#x2)
- The elder sister is twice as old as the younger. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/elder/#x3)
- How old is the elder child? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/elder/#x4)
- The village elders met to decide. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/elder/#x5)
- Be polite to your elders. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/elder/#x6)
- She is the eldest of four children. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/elder/#x7)
- We made jam from elderberries. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/elder/#x8)
- The elder brother was very angry. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/elder/#x9)

### note

A comparison of ages: elder = younger + difference. Trap: the age difference stays the same as years pass. Use «elder/eldest» for family before a noun («my elder sister»); use «older» with «than» («she is older than me», not «elder than»).

### In the corpora

- [In Chinese families you greet each elder by their title, out loud: «yéye hǎo!».](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/chinese-street/10-grandparents-aunties-uncles/1/)
- ["hóngbāo" is a red envelope with money in it, given by elders to children at New Year, birthdays and weddings.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/chinese-street/26-red-envelopes-and-new-year-wishes/5/)
- [Presbyterian churches are led by elected elders, called presbyters.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/religion-ethics/29-churches-of-the-english-speaking-world-ii/5/)
- [Now Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/torah/jps/GEN.867/)
- [And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/torah/jps/EXO.111/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «elder» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/E/elder/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.