Ältesten

Ältesten is the superlative form of the German adjective alt, meaning old in the sense of age. It is used to designate the oldest person or thing within a group. For example, die ältesten Bewohner der Stadt refers to the oldest residents of the city. In predicative use, the adverbial superlative am ältesten is common, as in Sie ist am ältesten von allen (She is the oldest of all).

The term can also function as a noun when capitalized: Die Ältesten. In this sense it denotes a group of elder individuals who hold leadership or advisory roles within a community, organization, or culture. The noun Ältesten appears in phrases such as Ältestenrat (council of elders) or Ältestenversammlung and is widely used in historical, religious, anthropological, and political contexts to refer to senior members who guide decisions or provide oversight.

Etymology and morphology: ältesten derives from the German adjective alt, with the standard superlative suffix -sten. The form reflects regular German inflection patterns for the superlative, including gender and number variations, and the umlaut in ältesten is a typical feature of the language’s word formation.

Usage notes: The word can appear in plural or singular constructions depending on whether it modifies nouns or stands as a noun on its own. When used as a noun, Ältesten is typically part of compounds (e.g., Ältestenrat) and is a common term in discussions of traditional leadership structures or age-based hierarchies.

See also: alt, ältester, Ältestenrat, elder, elderhood.