elder statesman
Noun
Meaning
an elderly statesman whose advice is sought be government leaders
any influential person whose advice is highly respected
Source: WordNetSynonyms
Antonyms
Show all antonymsHypernyms
Examples
He's passed from rising hope to elder statesman without any intervening period whatsoever.
The fastest way for a politician to become an elder statesman is to lose an election.
Above all he was a man of grand vision with serious blind spots.sfn Whitlam's last words in the documentary film Gough Whitlam – In His Own Words (2002) were in response to a question about his status as an icon and elder statesman.
Acetate stencil commemorating the life and death of Utah Phillips (1935-2008) Phillips became an elder statesman for the folk music community, and a keeper of stories and songs that might otherwise have passed into obscurity.
After considerable debate, the Commission accepted Bonanno's offer, in view of his status as a Mafia elder statesman.
An elder statesman, Buba Galadima, has alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari fears the white man more than anybody.