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
Had the vaccine reached the elder sooner, perhaps more of the Juma people’s history would have been saved.
—
Adriana Brasileiro, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
Ryan and Jason, then respectively 10 and 12, had just watched their little sibling catch on fire, an unfathomable result of the elder two literally playing with fire.
—Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
According to public records, a business association led by the elder Duong paid $6,400 to cover Azevedo’s airfare, hotel and meals during a 10-day trip with other public officials to Vietnam in the summer of 2023.
—Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2025
Three of the elder Browner's brothers played in the NFL.
—Jon Paul Hoornstra, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the elder
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Adriana Brasileiro, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
Ryan and Jason, then respectively 10 and 12, had just watched their little sibling catch on fire, an unfathomable result of the elder two literally playing with fire.
—Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
According to public records, a business association led by the elder Duong paid $6,400 to cover Azevedo’s airfare, hotel and meals during a 10-day trip with other public officials to Vietnam in the summer of 2023.
—Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2025
Three of the elder Browner's brothers played in the NFL.
—Jon Paul Hoornstra, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
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 12 Nov. 2025.
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