venerable

[ven-er-uh-buhl]

adjective

1. commanding respect because of great age or impressive dignity; worthy of veneration or reverence, as because of high office or noble character.

   a venerable member of Congress.

2. a title for someone proclaimed by the Roman Catholic Church to have attained the first degree of sanctity or of an Anglican archdeacon.

3. (of places, buildings, etc.) hallowed by religious, historic, or other lofty associations.

   the venerable halls of the abbey.

4. impressive or interesting because of age, antique appearance, etc..

   a venerable oak tree.

5. extremely old or obsolete; ancient.

   a venerable automobile.

noun

1. a venerable person.

venerable

/ ˈvɛnərəbəl /

adjective

1. (esp of a person) worthy of reverence on account of great age, religious associations, character, position, etc

2. (of inanimate objects) hallowed or impressive on account of historical or religious association

3. ancient

   venerable tomes

4. RC Church a title bestowed on a deceased person when the first stage of his canonization has been accomplished and his holiness has been recognized in a decree of the official Church

5. Church of England a title given to an archdeacon

Other Word Forms

• venerability noun
• venerably adverb
• venerableness noun
• quasi-venerable adjective
• quasi-venerably adverb
• unvenerability noun
• unvenerable adjective
• unvenerableness noun
• unvenerably adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of venerable¹

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin venerābilis, equivalent to venerā ( rī ) to venerate + -bilis -ble

Word History and Origins

Origin of venerable¹

C15: from Latin venerābilis, from venerārī to venerate

Example Sentences

He was speaker of the Knesset, the parliament, from 1999 to 2003 and before that he chaired the Jewish Agency and the World Zionist Organisation, two venerable Zionist institutions.

From BBC

The president installed himself as chairman of the venerable arts institution in Washington, D.C., in February.

From Salon

It borders on the impossible to verify anything venerable as “the first,” but L.A.’s first restaurant was likely in the Bella Union Hotel, opened in downtown in 1850 in an even older building.

From Los Angeles Times

I found myself that weekend watching “Washington Journal,” C-SPAN’s venerable daily call-in show, which posed a question to viewers: What is the most important issue facing America?

From Salon

The venerable preschool show aired for years on HBO but had been looking for a new address.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• esteemed 
• grand 
• revered 
• stately 
• venerated www.thesaurus.com