Talk:elder

Etymology 2

Now Heldern (Sallands) has been removed, I'll ask it here, why are *eldernaz and *elernaz considered as valid etymologies, but are Heldern and Holunder ignored? --129.125.102.126 21:29, 24 October 2012 (UTC)

I'd say it's because of the initial h-. —CodeCat 21:36, 24 October 2012 (UTC)

The initial "h-" is silent in some Anglo-Saxon dialects (like Kentish), and some Low Saxon dialects (one of the h-deletion clusters happens to start ca. 10 miles north of Heldern). --129.125.102.126 14:41, 26 October 2012 (UTC)

There are Scandanavian terms with an h (such as Danish hyld and Norwegian hyll), but there's also German Erle. I would note that (Holunder from holuntar, said to be holun + tar) looks a bit like it might be related to holly somehow. There are enough similar tree-names floating around with alder and elder and all of their cognates (did I mention Spanish aliso, which looks suspiciously like the Proto-Germanic name for the same tree), that adding holly to the mix can't make it much worse.Chuck Entz (talk) 05:51, 27 October 2012 (UTC)

the Elder

the Elder: used after a person's name to indicate that he or she is the first-born person of a name shared by another
Pitt the Elder
Microsoft® Encarta® 2009

--Backinstadiums (talk) 15:39, 22 May 2020 (UTC)

Noun: She is five years my elder.

According to Microsoft® Encarta® 2009, it's a noun in examples such as She is five years my elder. --Backinstadiums (talk) 19:14, 4 July 2020 (UTC)

adjective 2. superior to others, either by rank or experience

adjective 2. superior to others, either by rank or experience --Backinstadiums (talk) 11:40, 24 July 2021 (UTC)