ELD, eld, _n._ old age, senility: former times, antiquity.
ELDER, eld'[.e]r, _n._ a genus of plants consisting chiefly of shrubs and
trees, with pinnate leaves, small flowers (of which the corolla is
wheel-shaped and five-cleft), and three-seeded berries--the Common Elder is
the Scotch _Bourtree_.--_ns._ ELD'ER-BERR'Y, the acidulous purple-black
drupaceous fruit of the elder; ELD'ER-GUN, a popgun made of elder-wood by
extracting the pith; ELD'ER-WINE, a pleasant wine made from
elder-berries.--ELDER-FLOWER WATER, distilled water, with an agreeable
odour, made from the flowers. [A.S. _ellærn_, _ellen_.]
ELDER, eld'[.e]r, _adj._ older: having lived a longer time: prior in
origin.--_n._ one who is older: an ancestor: one advanced to office on
account of age: one of a class of office-bearers in the Presbyterian
Church--equivalent to the _presbyters_ of the New Testament.--_n._
ELD'ERLINESS.--_adj._ ELD'ERLY, somewhat old: bordering on old age.--_n._
ELD'ERSHIP, state of being older: the office of an elder.--_adj._ ELD'EST,
oldest. [A.S. _eldra_, _yldra_, comp. of _eald_, old.]