venerable

a. [ L. venerabilis: cf. F. vénérable. ] 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

He was a man of eternal self-sacrifice, and that is always venerable. De Quincey. [ 1913 Webster ]

Venerable men! you have come down to us from a former generation. D. Webster. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ 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. [ 1913 Webster ]