elderdom

The story

1. Old English · inherited fromealdordōm“greatness, power, authority, lordship, eldership, rule, dominion, magistracy, principality, superiority, preeminence, primacy, government, any official position involving command of others, beginning”
2. Middle English · inherited from*elderdom
3. English todayelderdom

From Middle English *elderdom, alderdom, from Old English ealdordōm (“greatness, power, authority, lordship, eldership, rule, dominion, magistracy, principality, superiority, preeminence, primacy, government, any official position involving command of others, beginning”), equivalent to elder + -dom. Cognate with West Frisian âlderdom (“eld, old age, antiquity”), German Altertum (“antiquity”), Swedish ålderdom (“eld, age”).