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

Jarrett, the elder brother, was eventually taken in by a man who later abused him, a victimizer who then set his sights on Baylon. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 22 Aug. 2026

Erasmus died a few years before Charles was even born, and what a shame the elder never knew what the younger discovered. — Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2026

At that point, the elder Meek had spent eight years in the Florida Legislature and served as a captain with the Florida Highway Patrol. — Miami Herald, 12 Aug. 2026

The actor played Bobby Maine, the elder half-brother of Bradley Cooper‘s Jackson Maine. — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026

Rhymes for the elder

• welder