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
Willow is the elder of two children Pink shares with husband Carey Hart.
—
Ryan Brennan
march 3, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2026
The boy, the man, and the elder reappear throughout the film, foraging and inevitably falling asleep beneath the trees at sunset, a liminal hour associated with the forest’s hallucinogenic properties.
—Anel Rakhimzhanova, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026
For people with limited internet access as well as the elder population, Ukraine developed a program for librarians on how to facilitate someone’s first contact with a computer.
—Rachel Curry, CNBC, 18 Feb. 2026
The Post-Tribune is not identifying the suspects, because charges could not be found in public court filings for the elder teen, and the other is a minor.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the elder
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Ryan Brennan
march 3, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2026
The boy, the man, and the elder reappear throughout the film, foraging and inevitably falling asleep beneath the trees at sunset, a liminal hour associated with the forest’s hallucinogenic properties.
—Anel Rakhimzhanova, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026
For people with limited internet access as well as the elder population, Ukraine developed a program for librarians on how to facilitate someone’s first contact with a computer.
—Rachel Curry, CNBC, 18 Feb. 2026
The Post-Tribune is not identifying the suspects, because charges could not be found in public court filings for the elder teen, and the other is a minor.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the elder
Cite this Entry
“The elder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20elder. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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