Synonyms

elder statesman

American

noun

an influential citizen, often a retired high official, whose advice is sought by government leaders.
any influential member of a company, group, etc., whose advice is respected.
Japanese History. any of the political leaders who retired from official office but continued to exert a strong influence in the government and who controlled the emperor's privy council, especially in the period 1898–1914.

elder statesman British

noun

an old, experienced, and eminent person, esp a politician, whose advice is often sought

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of elder statesman

First recorded in 1900–05

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.

He stayed on as Clinton's chief adviser after he left office in 2000 and helped him transition from president into a jet-setting elder statesman.

From BBC

But Nvidia is now in the odd position of having to play elder statesman, if only to temper some of the wilder views about AI.

From The Wall Street Journal

After his presidential runs, Jackson later positioned himself as an elder statesman within the Democratic Party.

From BBC

After his historic run of presidential campaigns, Jackson went on to position himself as an elder statesman within the Democratic Party.

From BBC

Howard Wilkinson, now 82 and a long-time elder statesman of the game, was the last Englishman to lift the title with Leeds United in 1991-92, but in the league's previous guise as the First Division.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023