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.
Venerable Hosan declined to speak to AFP, citing his duties and pre-arranged prayer schedule.
From Barron's • Feb. 14, 2026
“My hope is, when this walk ends, the people we met will continue practicing mindfulness and find peace,” the Venerable Bhikkhu Paññākāra, a Vietnamese-American monk who led the march, said while passing through North Carolina.
From Salon • Feb. 13, 2026
Venerable manicured homes have been replaced by weed-choked vacant lots.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 31, 2025
Venerable trees from the original landscape lend maturity to the garden that otherwise would take generations to establish.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 1, 2024
Venerable Isaac Behndy of Ladysmith, eighty-one years old, a lay preacher of the African Native Mission Church, explained why we opted for stay-at-homes instead of strikes.
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.
