Elcaja
(El*ca"ja) n. [Ar.] (Bot.) An Arabian tree The fruit, which is emetic, is sometimes employed in
the composition of an ointment for the cure of the itch.
Elcesaite
(El*ce"sa*ite) n. [From Elcesai, the leader of the sect.] (Eccl.) One of a sect of Asiatic Gnostics
of the time of the Emperor Trajan.
Eld
(Eld) a. [AS. eald.] Old. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Eld
(Eld), n. [AS. yldu, yldo, eldo, old age, fr. ald, eald, old. See Old.]
1. Age; esp., old age. [Obs. or Archaic]
As sooth is said, eelde hath great avantage.
Chaucer.
Great Nature, ever young, yet full of eld.
Spenser. 2. Old times; former days; antiquity. [Poetic]
Astrologers and men of eld.
Longfellow. Eld
(Eld), v. i. To age; to grow old. [Obs.]
Eld
(Eld), v. t. To make old or ancient. [Obs.]
Time, that eldeth all things.
Rom. of R. Elder
(Eld"er) a. [AS. yldra, compar. of eald old. See Old.]
1. Older; more aged, or existing longer.
Let the elder men among us emulate their own earlier deeds.
Jowett (Thucyd. ) 2. Born before another; prior in years; senior; earlier; older; as, his elder brother died in infancy; — opposed
to younger, and now commonly applied to a son, daughter, child, brother, etc.
The elder shall serve the younger.
Gen. xxv. 23.
But ask of elder days, earth's vernal hour.
Keble. Elder hand (Card Playing), the hand playing, or having the right to play, first. Hoyle.
Elder
(Eld"er), n. [AS. ealdor an elder, prince, fr. eald old. See Old, and cf. Elder, a., Alderman.]
1. One who is older; a superior in age; a senior. 1 Tim. v. 1.
2. An aged person; one who lived at an earlier period; a predecessor.
Carry your head as your elders have done.
L'Estrange. 3. A person who, on account of his age, occupies the office of ruler or judge; hence, a person occupying
any office appropriate to such as have the experience and dignity which age confers; as, the elders of
Israel; the elders of the synagogue; the elders in the apostolic church.
In the modern Presbyterian churches, elders are lay officers who, with the minister, compose the church
session, with authority to inspect and regulate matters of religion and discipline. In some churches, pastors
or clergymen are called elders, or presbyters.
