venerable
28
7.5
- adjective
- /ˈvɛnərəbəl/
- Formal
- At eight and forty, a respectable, even a venerable age, he still had a full head of hair.
- venerable tradition
- venerable firm
- venerable institution
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Watch on YouTubeThey had an again, a very venerable and respected computer scientist called Adrian Fan Weingarden.
- They had an again, a very venerable and respected computer scientist called Adrian Fan Weingarden.
Examples
-
But this, according to some venerable ethical traditions, would be a good thing.
Academic text (1998) -
Lehman Brothers, one of the most venerable and biggest investment banks, was forced to declare itself bankrupt.
-
I have reached a venerable age and am secure in the things I know.
Fiction book (2002) -
Venerable sir, I have some business for you.
-
The event, "Neutral Turf," was a benefit for Guild Books, a venerable Chicago institution.
Academic text (2012) -
The collapse of the venerable New York bank follows a tumultuous few months of market volatility and fear in the world economy.
-
We finish our cake and head for Powell's Books, the venerable sprawling store where she's to give a reading.
Academic text (2008) -
The Smithsonian is one of the country's most venerable establishments, where change is not frivolous.
Academic text (2000) -
In recreating and revealing these connections, Achebe assumes the venerable role of Igbo priest and artist.
Academic text (1994) -
The Joy of Cooking is that venerable cookbook that has been around for ages.
Synonyms
40
4.2
Very old and present for a long time
28
5.6
Deeply respected and admired for age, wisdom, or good character
21
4.7
Valued and kept because people have done it for a long time
13
7.4
Showing deep wisdom often from age and experience
7
7.0
Respected and impressive in a calm, serious way
3
9.9
Exists for a very long time, often about traditions, stories, or ideas
Grand and serious in a way that makes people respect it
Antonyms
Compounds
- Formal
1
9.9
An English monk and writer from about 700 who wrote about early England
How Venerable
Surface Forms
Morphology
venerable = venerate (semi-transparent) = vener + able
The adjective is obviously formed with '-able' and is related to 'venerate', but spelling differences and historical formation make the relation less obvious to many learners.
Etymology
The word venerable comes from the Latin venerari, meaning 'to worship' or 'to show deep respect', and it shares this idea with venerate. So a venerable person or place is one that people respect a lot, often because of age, wisdom, or good character.