English Explanatory Dictionary

venerable

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Commanding respect because of age, dignity, character or position.
  2. Worthy of reverence.
  3. Ancient, antiquated or archaic.
  4. Made sacred especially by religious or historical association.
  5. Giving an impression of aged goodness and benevolence.
adj
  1. A form of address for an archdeacon in the Anglican Church.
  2. The description in the Roman Catholic Church of someone in the first stages of canonisation.
  3. The description of some saints in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
noun
  1. A title indicating respect, prefixed to the names of Buddhist monks and nuns.

Pronunciation

/ˈvɛnəɹəbl/ /ˈvɛnɹəbl/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-venerable.wav

Word forms

venerable more venerable most venerable Venerables

Etymology

From Middle French vénérable, from Old French, from Latin venerabilis.

Synonyms

estimable honorable respectable aged dated hoary ancient age-old antediluvian auld cobwebbed cobwebby decrepit eld eldern gamol gray moss-grown old old as the hills old as the Pyramids olden older than dirt older than the hills older than the Pyramids venerable wintry anachronistic antediluvial antiquated antique archaic backward backwards behind the times defunct desuete discontinued disused dootsie elderly extinct expired fossilized Havishamesque idle Miss Havishamesque mouldy obsolete oldfangled old-fashioned old school outdated outmoded out of date out of fashion outworn parachronistic passé primitive

Antonyms

contemptible

Related words

Venerable Bede
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