the elder

noun

1

—used in comparing the ages of two people who are members of the same family

He's the elder of her two brothers.

2

—used to refer to the older of two people (such as a father and son) who have the same name

Pliny the Elder and his nephew Pliny the Younger

Examples of the elder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Sean Hepburn Ferrer, the elder of Hepburn’s two sons, recalls an incident where his stepfather, the actress’ second husband Andrea Dotti, was nearly kidnapped from the family home. — Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 24 July 2026

Baker Mayfield is the elder statesman among the starters and fresh off his Netflix debut. — Darren Cooper, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

The result of this modernization is quieter performance and greater speed accuracy, while sacrificing just a little of the elder deck’s warmth but absolutely none of its spirit. — Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 8 July 2026

On July 14th, the elder Sprouse (by 15 minutes) will launch his new weekly podcast, Wildmen. — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 7 July 2026

Rhymes for the elder

• welder