Forms: α. ellærn, ellæn, ellen, 2–4 ellarne, 4 ellerne, elrene, (5 elerne, elorne, ellern, elnerene 5, 9 dial. ellen), 4–7 eller, 4–6 eldre, 5 eldyr, (6 ellore), 6–7 eldren, eldern, 5 eller; β. 5 helren, hilder (-tre), hyldyr, hyllor, hillar, hillerne (-tre), hyl (-tre). [With OE. ellærn (of which ellen is app. a reduced form, as ísen of ísern) cf. MLG. ellern, elderne, alhorn, elhorn (Schiller & Lübben), Flem. elhoren, alhoren (Kilian). Possibly an originally adjectival formation; cf. Ger. ahorn maple = L. acernus adj. (For the euphonic change of elr- to eldr- cf. ALDER1.) The forms with initial h seem to belong to a wholly different word, prob. of ON. origin; cf. Da. hyld, hyldetræ, Sw. hyll, app. related to the synonymous OHG. holuntar, MHG. holander, holder, mod.G. holunder, holder; in which a connection of some kind with HOLE, HOLLOW, is plausible, as the tree might naturally have been named from its tubular stems.]
1. A low tree or shrub, Sambucus nigra (N.O. Caprifoliaceæ), called, for distinction, the Common or Black-berried Elder; bearing umbel-like corymbs of white flowers; the young branches are remarkable for their abundance of pith.
a. 700. Epinal Gloss., 893. Sambucus, ellaen.
a. 800. Corpus Gloss., 1175. Sambucus, ellaern.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., II. 68. Wiþ fotece ʓenim ellenes leaf.
c. 1150. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 556. Sambucus, suew, ellarne.
c. 1325. Gloss. W. de Bibbesw., in Wright, Voc., 163. De suhen (hildertre, helren) font les souheaus.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. I. 66. Iudas he Iapede with þe Iewes seluer And on an Ellerne treo [v.r. eldir; 1377 B. I. 68 eller] hongede him after.
c. 1425. in Voc., Wr.-Wülcker, 646. Hec sambuca, hyllor-tre.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., Eldyr or hyldyr, or hillerne tre [v.r. hillar; hyltre, or elerne; elder, or hyltre, or elorne].
a. 1450. Alphita, 161. Sambucus … ellen.
1471. Ripley, Comp. Alch., V. xlii. in Ashm. (1652), 158. Wene they of a Nettyll to have a Rose Or of an Elder an Apple swete.
1523. Fitzherb., Husb., § 126. The stakes of the … ellore be good.
1598. Shaks., Merry W., II. iii. 30. My heart of Elder.
1608. Plat, Gard. Eden (1653), 100. Every plant of an Eldern will grow.
1615. W. Lawson, Orch. & Gard. (1648), 3. Some thinke the … eller [would have] a waterish marish.
1728. Thomson, Spring, 443. Then seek the bank where flowering elders crowd.
1876. Harley, Mat. Med., 576. The Elder, indigenous in Europe, was known to the Greeks.
2. Extended to other species of the genus Sambucus; in N. America applied chiefly to S. canadensis. With distinguishing epithets: Dwarf Elder, Ground Elder, Dog Elder (S. Ebulus) = DANEWORT; Wild Elder, used by Lyte for S. racemosa.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, III. xliv. 379. The nature and vertues of the wilde Eldren, are as yet vnknowen.
b. In popular names of other plants bearing a superficial resemblance to the elder: Bishop’s Elder, Dog Elder, Dwarf Elder, Ground Elder, Wild Elder (cf. 2), names for Goutweed (Ægopodium Podagraria); Ground Elder, Angelica silvestris; Marsh or Marish Elder, Water Elder, White Elder = GUELDER ROSE (Viburnum Opulus).
3. Attrib., as elder-blossom, -branch, -bud, -bush, -flower, -pith, -stick, -tree, -vinegar, -wine, -wood; elder-leaved adj.; elder-blow, elder-blossom; elder-gun, a pop-gun made of a hollow shoot of elder; elder-moth, Uropteryx Sambucata. Also ELDER-BERRY, etc.
1862. Barnes, Rhymes Dorset Dial., I. 76. A vield … Where *elder-blossoms be a-spread.
1875. Emerson, Lett. & Soc. Aims, Poet. & Imag., Wks. (Bohn), III. 154. The scent of an *elder-blow … is event enough for him.
1579. Spenser, Sheph. Cal., Nov., 147. The Muses … Now bringen bitter *Eldre braunches seare.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., I. v. 12. Weeds are counted herbs in the beginning of the spring:… sallads are made of *eldern-buds.
1815. Scott, Guy M., I. i. 4. A hut, or farm-house … surrounded by large *elder-bushes.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 692. 173. Of this Kinde are *Elder-Flowers, which therefore are Proper for the Stone.
1718. Quincy, Compl. Disp., 133. Elder-flowers … Flowers from May to July.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., IV. i. 210. That’s a perillous shot out of an *Elder Gunne.
a. 1613. Overbury, A Wife (1638), 201. As boyes doe Pellets in Elderne Guns.
1882. Garden, 23 Sept., 273/1. The *Elder-leaved or black Ash … the leaves of which … are serrated.
c. 1600. Day, Begg. Bednal-Gr., IV. ii. (1659), G iv b. Thou wither’d *Elder-pith.
1532. More, Confut. Tindale, Wks. 425/1. No more then … thys greke woorde presbyteros signifyeth an *elder sticke.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVII. cxliv. (1495), 700. The *Ellern tree hath vertue Duretica.
1566. Warde, trans. Alexis’ Secr., III. I. 11 b. Foure vnces of the water of Elderne tree.
1712. trans. Pomet’s Hist. Drugs, I. 32. The Arabian Costus is the Root of a Shrub very like an Elder Tree.
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 150, ¶ 6. They had dissented … about the Preference of *Elder to Wine-Vinegar.
1735. Berkeley, Querist, § 151. Men of nice palates have been imposed on, by *elder wine for French claret.
1760. T. Hutchinson, Hist. Col. Mass., v. (1765), 464. A young stick of *elder wood.
¶ 4. Misused for ALDER1.
c. 1535. Dewes, Introd. Fr., in Palsgr., 914. Thelder, aulne.
1611. Florio, Alno negro, the blacke Elder-tree.
