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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Venerable \Ven"er*a*ble\, a. [L. venerabilis: cf. F.
v['e]n['e]rable.]
1. Capable of being venerated; worthy of veneration or
reverence; deserving of honor and respect; -- generally
implying an advanced age; as, a venerable magistrate; a
venerable parent.
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He was a man of eternal self-sacrifice, and that is
always venerable. --De Quincey.
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Venerable men! you have come down to us from a
former generation. --D. Webster.
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2. Rendered sacred by religious or other associations; that
should be regarded with awe and treated with reverence;
as, the venerable walls of a temple or a church.
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Note: This word is employed in the Church of England as a
title for an archdeacon. In the Roman Catholic Church,
venerable is applied to those who have attained to the
lowest of the three recognized degrees of sanctity, but
are not among the beatified, nor the canonized.
[1913 Webster] -- {Ven"er*a*ble*ness}, n. --
{Ven"er*a*bly}, adv.
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