長ちょう老ろう

〈場ば所しょ〉の長ちょう老ろうthe elder of a place (village, temple, community)
村むらの長ちょう老ろうに相そう談だんした。
I consulted the village elder.
長ちょう老ろうを務つとめるto serve as an elder/senior figure
彼かれは教きょう会かいの長ちょう老ろうを務つとめている。
He serves as an elder of the church.
長ちょう老ろうとして〈動どう詞し〉to act/speak as an elder
長ちょう老ろうとして村むらの争あらそいを仲ちゅう裁さいした。
As the village elder, he mediated the dispute.

Kanji

長long, leader, superior
老old man, old age, grow old

Related words

年ねん長ちょう者しゃ sense 1
年長者 just means someone older in age, while 長老 adds the sense of a respected leader within a community or religious group.
高こう僧そう sense 2
高僧 is a general term for a high-ranking, virtuous Buddhist monk, while 長老 specifically denotes the senior monk who leads or advises a temple.
先せん輩ぱいN4sense 1
先輩 refers to someone senior in experience at school or work, whereas 長老 refers to an elder with communal or religious authority, not just workplace seniority.
古こ老ろう sense 1
古老 emphasizes an elderly person who is a repository of traditional knowledge, while 長老 emphasizes a leadership or advisory role in a group.
元げん老ろう
長老 is a broader term for an elder or senior figure in a community, village, or religious context, while 元老 emphasizes political or institutional veteran status.

Don't confuse with

家か老ろう sense 1
家老 was a senior retainer who administered a feudal lord's domain, while 長老 is a respected elder or senior religious figure in a community, temple, or church.

Counted with

名めいN2
「名」is a polite, formal way to count people, including elders like 長老.

Word family

Etymology

Compound of 長 (chō, 'long, senior') and 老 (rō, 'old person'). The combination has been used historically to refer to respected older leaders in communities and religious orders.