elder stateswoman
- noun
- /ˈɛldər ˈsteɪtsˌwʊmən/
- This woman is positioning herself as a future elder stateswoman of the far left.
Examples
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The community turned to their elder stateswoman for advice during the election campaign.
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As an elder stateswoman, she often provides invaluable guidance to newer members of the political party.
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Her experience and reputation as an elder stateswoman made her voice a trusted one in the discussions.
Synonyms
A woman who is a respected political leader working on national or international matters
An older person respected for their knowledge and good sense
How Respected
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is directly compositional: 'elder' (an older/respected person) combined with 'stateswoman' (a woman influential in politics) yields the meaning of an experienced, respected older woman in public or political life. This is a common, predictable construction across languages and follows normal English noun modification patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should be able to infer the meaning.
Etymology
The phrase elder stateswoman comes from the idea of an older, respected woman who guides leaders, joining elder (an older, respected person) and stateswoman (a woman in public life). Imagine her at the meeting giving advice to younger politicians; that's why it means 'an experienced and respected older woman' whose advice is valued.