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

Other Word Forms

• venerability noun
• venerableness noun
• venerably adverb
• quasi-venerable adjective
• quasi-venerably adverb
• unvenerability noun
• unvenerable adjective
• unvenerableness noun
• unvenerably 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

It is spreading wider and faster than we thought, and it has even found an apologist in Kevin Roberts, president of the venerable Heritage Foundation.

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Increasingly curious, he made email inquiries, then plane reservations to check out the venerable family seat.

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Hidden among the Hermès, Prada and Cartier boutiques, he said, is an intriguing array of venerable sites and neighborhoods.

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Once a month, and for a not insignificant fee, parents and kids can once again spend the night at the venerable institution -- a program that had been suspended since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

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A crowd of about 50 supporters and curious locals meet the candidate at Donkey’s Place, a venerable deli that serves a meatier cheesesteak than more-famous shops in nearby Philadelphia.

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Related Words

• esteemed 
• grand 
• revered 
• stately 
• venerated www.thesaurus.com