1. an old man , Lat. senex, (the prose form is πρεσβύτης); (Sophocles Tragicus):—; ὁ πρέσβυς is used much like ὁ πρεσβύτερος, the elder , (Aeschulus Tragicus):—;plural πρέσβεις, elders , always implying dignity, chiefs, princes , (Aeschulus Tragicus); epic πρέσβηες (Hesiod) 2. (Homer) uses only the comparative and Sup., comparative πρεσβύτερος, α, ον, elder, older , (Iliad by Homer), attic; ἐνιαυτῷ by a year, (Aristophanes Comicus); βουλαὶ πρεσβύτεραι the wise councils of age , (Pindar);—;Sup. πρεσβύτατος, η, ον, eldest , (Iliad by Homer), etc.: —;the comparative and Sup. were used of things, πρεσβύτερόν τι (or οὐδὲν); ἔχειν = Lat. aliquid (or nihil) antiquius habere, to deem higher, more important , τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ πρεσβύτερα ποιεῖσθαι ἢ τὰ τῶν ἀνδρῶν (Herdotus Historicus); πρεσβύτατον κρίνειν τι (Thucydides); πρεσβυτέρως γυμναστικὴν μουσικῆς τετιμηκέναι more highly than . . , (Plato Philosophus): —;hence, merely of magnitude, πρεσβύτερον κακὸν κακοῦ one evil greater than another, (Sophocles Tragicus) 3. like πρεσβευτής, an ambassador , (Aeschulus Tragicus);—;plural πρέσβεις is more used than πρεσβευταί, (Aristophanes Comicus), etc. 4. a chief, president : comparative πρεσβύτερος, an elder of the Jewish Council , (New Testament), etc.: an elder of the Church, presbyter , (New Testament) (ML)