elder statesman
7
5.4
- noun
- /ˈɛldər ˈsteɪtsˌmən/
- Literature
:
estadista veterano
- Before making a decision, the committee sought advice from the elder statesman of their organization, known for his wisdom and experience.
- became an elder statesman
And so I think a lot about what would a benevolence sort of elder statesman of Apple look like if they sort of acted like, hey, we won.
- And so I think a lot about what would a benevolence sort of elder statesman of Apple look like if they sort of acted like, hey, we won.
Examples
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Nixon, who was pardoned by President Ford, lived to write six books and travel the world as an elder statesman.
Fiction book (1995) -
Musa and several other northern Nigerians we visited were quick to view Arnold as the elder statesman and patriarch.
Academic text (1991) -
Plus Biden always makes it easy for the zero to look like a wise elder statesman in comparison.
Blog text (6) -
He's the elder statesman, in a way.
-
He's the elder statesman of the sport.
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Let's consider the facts: Joe Biden is an elder statesman with a terrifying amount of knowledge of foreign policy.
Blog text (21) -
When you get to be an elder statesman, then you can dispense wisdom.
Fiction book (1995) -
John Pastor is an elder statesman in western Pennsylvania soccer circles.
Blog text (12) -
His high-profile role also gives him the chance to enhance his legacy as a Democratic elder statesman and global humanitarian.
Blog text (3) -
Zuma also respects Mugabe as an elder statesman and senior anti-colonialist.
Academic text (2010)
Synonyms
66
4.2
A man respected for good judgment who gives advice to others
45
5.6
A respected experienced political leader who works for their country's long-term good
7
9.9
A respected lawmaker who makes wise and fair decisions
1
9.5
A person who is the most respected and experienced member of a group
1
3.7
An older person respected for their knowledge and good sense
1
5.1
A person who has done a job or activity for many years and knows it well
A politician with many years of experience in public office
A respected older person with grey hair who gives advice
A polite name for an older man who people respect for his wisdom
How Respected
- Literature
7
5.4
- Formal
45
5.6
153
4.1
∞
2.9
123
1.6
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a respected and experienced senior man, especially a former leader' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'elder' (an older/respected person) with 'statesman' (an experienced political leader). This is a straightforward compositional noun phrase with clear cross-linguistic parallels, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Elder statesman comes from the picture of an older leader: elder means an older, respected person and statesman means a national leader. One popular image is a wise elder who helps and advises younger leaders, so today it means 'a respected and experienced senior man' whose advice people value.