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elder statesman
noun
: an eminent senior member of a group or organization
especially
: a retired statesman who unofficially advises current leaders
Examples of elder statesman in a Sentence
an elder statesman of baseball coaches
the elder statesman of the White House correspondents is finally retiring after nearly a half century of service
Recent Examples on the Web
At 60, Mills carries himself with a low-key cool befitting his role as one of techno’s elder statesmen.
—Mike Rubin, New York Times, 15 May 2024
In the ‘90s and 2000s, Corman settled into his role as an elder statesman, giving talks and appearing in documentaries, offering advice to would-be independent filmmakers trying to make it outside the system.
—Katie Rife, EW.com, 12 May 2024
Even if Curry will technically be Peterson’s elder statesman.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 29 Feb. 2024
Kyle Busch, a polarizing personality who has now become an elder statesman of the sport, will be gunning for his first 500 win in the No. 8 Chevrolet from the 34th position.
—Travis Caldwell, CNN, 18 Feb. 2024
Meanwhile, each actor's performance as a soft, contemplative elder statesman has a soulful, grandfatherly quality that complicates the damage that their characters do.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 9 Mar. 2024
Unlike Biden, Lamont is not viewed as an elder statesman.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 14 Jan. 2024
Has anyone ever heard about the benefit of an elder statesman for starters?
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 15 Feb. 2024
His second solo album The Hard Stuff marked the beginning of Kramer’s ascent to a punk elder statesman who frequently collaborated with younger artists, and members of the Melvins, Bad Religion, Circle Jerks and the Muffs guested on the project.
—Al Shipley, SPIN, 3 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'elder statesman.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1904, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near elder statesman
Cite this Entry
“Elder statesman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elder%20statesman. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
Kids Definition
elder statesman
noun
: a respected older member of a group or organization
especially
: a retired statesman who gives advice to current leaders
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