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

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After saying it out loud, the elder James struggled to process the idea. Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026 Harrison Ford is Paul, the elder statesman of their therapy practice, who has recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 26 Jan. 2026 Saturday marks the fifth head-to-head meeting between the Pitinos, with the elder coach boasting a 3-1 record. Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 23 Jan. 2026 Paltrow played the younger version of Wendy, while Maggie Smith played the elder version. Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for the elder

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Cite this Entry

“The elder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20elder. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.

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