venerable
Americanadjective
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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.
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a title for someone proclaimed by the Roman Catholic Church to have attained the first degree of sanctity or of an Anglican archdeacon.
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(of places, buildings, etc.) hallowed by religious, historic, or other lofty associations.
the venerable halls of the abbey.
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impressive or interesting because of age, antique appearance, etc..
a venerable oak tree.
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extremely old or obsolete; ancient.
a venerable automobile.
noun
adjective
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(esp of a person) worthy of reverence on account of great age, religious associations, character, position, etc
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(of inanimate objects) hallowed or impressive on account of historical or religious association
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ancient
venerable tomes
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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
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Church of England a title given to an archdeacon
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of venerable
1400–50; late Middle English < Latin venerābilis, equivalent to venerā ( rī ) to venerate + -bilis -ble
Explanation
To be venerable is to be admired and respected because of your status or age. You become venerable by achieving great things or just by living long enough. The adjective venerable means "admired" and "respected" — it should describe how you feel about old folks and bosses, for example. It describes the wise old man at the top of the mountain who tells you the meaning of life. As a noun, the Venerable refers to someone high up in a religion, usually Christian. In fact, Saint Bede, who is sometimes called the Father of English History, is often referred to as Bede the Venerable.
Vocabulary lists containing venerable
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Had Robert Louis Stevenson seen Robert Murphy’s new adaptation of the venerable “Treasure Island,” he’d be wondering who commandeered—or perhaps kidnapped—his story.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Later renamed the Sveriges Riksbank, it considers itself the world’s oldest central bank—predating other venerable institutions such as the Bank of England.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
The first edition of “60 Minutes” since CBS News editor in chief Bari Weiss initiated drastic changes to the venerable program made it to air Sunday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026
The venerable establishment was undamaged, but shut down amid the chaos.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
He was then one of a handful of African lawyers in all of South Africa and was the legal partner of the venerable Dr. Pixley ka Seme, one of the founders of the ANC.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
