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
While the overall shape of the sneaker stays true to the elder model, its Three Stripes motif takes on the appearance of fangs to incorporate the Predator.
—
Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 21 Nov. 2025
There isn’t a rivalry there, and Hubbard is rooting for Brown, who is from London, Ontario, to catch up to him in the near future, even as the elder running back still has some more work to do.
—Charlotte Observer, 13 Nov. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for the elder
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Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 21 Nov. 2025
There isn’t a rivalry there, and Hubbard is rooting for Brown, who is from London, Ontario, to catch up to him in the near future, even as the elder running back still has some more work to do.
—Charlotte Observer, 13 Nov. 2025
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
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 2 Dec. 2025.
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