elder
Loading your saved state.
elder
A title for a missionary or officeholder in certain Christian communities, especially in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons).
Gestern sprachen uns zwei junge Elder auf der Straße an und wollten über ihren Glauben reden.
Yesterday two young elders approached us on the street and wanted to talk about their faith.
'Elder' is a loanword from English, where it means an older person. This original meaning of age and experience is directly visible in the second meaning (tribal elder).
Der Titel „Elder“ wird mit Respekt verwendet.
The title 'Elder' is used with respect.
You can recognize the meaning from the context. If the sentence is about missionaries, a specific church, or young people talking about religion, the first meaning is intended. If it is about a tribe, a council, or traditional communities, the second meaning is intended.
Zwei junge Elder klingelten an unserer Tür.
Two young elders rang our doorbell.
In a religious context, 'Elder' is often used as a form of address with a last name, e.g. 'Elder Smith'. You also often hear that missionaries 'als Elder dienen' (serve as an elder).
Er diente zwei Jahre lang als Elder in Deutschland.
He served as an elder in Germany for two years.
In the meaning 'Stammesältester' (tribal elder), the combination 'der Rat der Elder' (the council of elders) is very common. It describes a group of wise people who make decisions together.
Man muss die Zustimmung vom Rat der Elder einholen.
You have to obtain the approval of the council of elders.
patriarch
'der Patriarch' and 'der Elder' can both refer to a respected or leading male person in a community. 'der Patriarch' is more appropriate when someone has the highest authority in a family, clan, or church. The word often strongly suggests power and rank. 'der Elder' means either an older, respected member of a community or a specific title in some Christian groups. Learners may confuse the words because both can be connected with respect, age, or religious roles. As a practical rule: for heads of families or churches, 'Patriarch' is more precise; for an experienced elder or a specific religious title, 'Elder' is more likely.
Der Elder sprach mit den jungen Mitgliedern der Gemeinde über ihren Dienst.
The elder spoke with the young members of the congregation about their service.
Der alte Patriarch entschied früher über wichtige Fragen der ganzen Familie.
The old patriarch used to decide on important matters for the whole family.