Obs. Forms: 1 aldor, -ur, 1–2 (late WS. ealdor), 2–4 alder, ælder, (ældere, eldere). [f. ald old + -or suffix forming sbs.; cf. OFris. alder parent. The pl. aldras, WS. ealdras, ‘ancestors,’ is to be distinguished from ęldran (WS. ieldran, yldran) ‘elders,’ compar. of ald old, used in same sense. In Layamon the two words are confused.]
1. Parent, ancestor, elder (chiefly in pl.). [In this sense only in OE.; superseded by the compar. of the adj. ald (eald), ęldran: see ELDER.]
a. 800[?]. Cædmon, Gen. (Grein), 1578. Ða com ærest Cam … þær his aldor læʓ.
c. 885. K. Ælfred, Bæda, I. xxvii. Ure ealdras þa ǽrestan menn. [Ibid., Oros., I. i. 1. Ure yldran.]
2. The head of a family or clan; a patriarch, chief, prince or ruler. (Used to translate L. titles, as senior, princeps, dominus, dux.)
c. 600. Beowulf, 697. Beowulf is min nama: wille ic asecgan … mín ǽrende aldre þinum.
c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. xxvii. 1. [Vulg. Omnes principes sacerdotum et seniores populi] … Alle aldor sacerda & ældro ðæs folces.
c. 975. Rushw. G. Ealle aldur sacerdæs & ældre þæs folces.
c. 1000. Ags. G. Ealle þæra sacerda ealdras … and þæs folces ealdras.
c. 1160. Hatton G. Ealle þare sacerda ealdres … and þas folkes ealdres.
c. 1175. Cotton Hom., 219. Hare alder þat he mihte beon.
1205. Layam., 16562. Þu scalt beon alder [1250 louerd]. Ibid., 23436. Frolle, þe ælder wes of France [1250 king]. Ibid., 3122. Aganippes wes ihaten; hæleðen he wes ældere [1250 eldere].
c. 1340. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 95. A vncouþe tale … Of alderes, of armes, of oþer auenturus.
