1. One living in an earlier period
2. One who is older; senior; an aged person
3. One having authority by virtue of age and experience
4. (religion) In the Presbyterian church, a lay member who assists the minister (or teaching elder) in running the church.
5. A person who is older than oneself; SYN. senior. Any of various church officers.

In botany, small tree or shrub of the genus Sambucus, of the honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae), native to North America, Eurasia, and N Africa. Some are grown as ornamentals for their showy yellow or white flower clusters and their colorful black or scarlet berries.
The American elder S. canadensis attains tree size and has blue berries. The common S. nigra of Europe, N Africa, and W Asia has pinnate leaves and heavy heads of small, sweet-scented, white flowers in early summer. These are succeeded by clusters of small, black berries. The scarlet-berried S. racemosa is found in parts of Europe, Asia, and North America.
Any of numerous shrubs or small trees of temperate and subtropical northern hemisphere having white flowers and berrylike fruit; SYN. elderberry bush.

ETYM AS. yldra, compar. of eald old. Related to Old.
Used of the older of two persons of the same name especially used to distinguish a father from his son; SYN. older, sr.

(1947-) English conductor. He was music director of the English National Opera (ENO) 1979–92 and of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, US, 1989.