elder

I

(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)

adj. older, earlier, superior, senior; elderly. —n. ancestor, senior. See age, oldness.

II

(Roget's IV) modif.

Syn. older, senior, ranking, more mature; see older , senior .

n.

1. [Old person]

Syn. old man, old woman, old lady, senior citizen, veteran, old timer, senior, retiree, one of the old folks, one of the older generation, sexagenarian, septuagenarian, octogenarian, nonagenarian, centenarian, ancestor, golden ager*, older adult, Methuselah*, graybeard, oldster*, old fogey*, little old lady*, granny*, gramps*; see also ancestor , oldster .

2. [A superior]

Syn. patriarch, matriarch, chief, tribal head, dignitary, senator, counselor, presbyter, church dignitary, elder statesman, dean, doyen, doyenne, father, mother.

III

(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus)

I

n.

senior, old-timer, veteran, superior, forefather, ancestor, matriarch, patriarch, *old fogey, *geezer, retiree, graybeard, dowager.

WORD FIND

• sixty, or between sixty and seventy: sexagenarian

• seventy, or between seventy and eighty: septuagenarian

• eighty, or between eighty and ninety: octogenarian

• ninety, or between ninety and one hundred: nonagenarian

• one hundred-year-old: centenarian

II

a.

older, senior, superior, higher ranking.

ANT.: younger, junior

IV

(Roget's Thesaurus II) I adjective Of greater age than another: older, senior. See YOUTH. II noun 1. A person who is older than another: senior. See YOUTH. 2. An elderly person: ancient, golden ager, senior, senior citizen. Informal: oldster, old-timer. See YOUTH. 3. One who stands above another in rank: better1, senior, superior. Informal: higher-up. See OVER.