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

Derived Forms

• ˌveneraˈbility, noun
• ˈvenerably, adverb

Other Words From

• vener·a·bili·ty vener·a·ble·ness noun
• vener·a·bly adverb
• quasi-vener·a·ble adjective
• quasi-vener·a·bly adverb
• unven·er·a·bili·ty noun
• un·vener·a·ble adjective
• un·vener·a·ble·ness noun
• un·vener·a·bly 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

Burgundy is focusing inward, looking to its oldest and most venerable vines for an ancient answer to a modern menace.

From Washington Post

Databases run the world, but database products are often some of the most mature and venerable software in the modern tech stack.

From TechCrunch

Sundog has been on both sides of such an encounter, and according to the venerable who-yields-to-whom trail signs, it’s the biker that should be yielding to the hiker.

From Outside Online

So you have that long to fool around with the venerable, if comedically aged internet browser.

From TechCrunch

The venerable dining guide of more than a century had taken a break from awarding its coveted stars last fall as covid hit the hospitality industry.

From Washington Post

Phonetic, made-up lyrics are another venerable tradition of folk music, and “pa-rum-pa-pa-pum” is iconic of the genre.

From The Daily Beast

Manhattanites are concerned that a decade of Bloombergian rent increases now threatens their venerable dining scene.

From The Daily Beast

We salute a venerable lineage of strong women, big hair, and drama.

From The Daily Beast

Considered a “patriotic food” during World War II, rabbits were raised alongside the venerable victory gardens on the homefront.

From The Daily Beast

There is no notion of San Francisco's tumultuous and venerable gay history.

From The Daily Beast

Rouen is interesting for its antiquities, including several venerable and richly adorned Churches which I had no time to visit.

From Project Gutenberg

In summer time its owners and their friends frequently tea within its venerable trunk.

From Project Gutenberg

And having embraced the venerable dwarf, he emerged out of the well roaring with laughter.

From Project Gutenberg

A venerable personage appeared, and asked them for whom this road was made.

From Project Gutenberg

Everything tending to this end is to him venerable and holy, and it is in this respect alone that he worships the Lingam.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• esteemed
• grand
• revered
• stately
• venerated