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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Along the way, the elder quarterbacks Rodgers and Flacco achieved some unique history. Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025 Born in 1960, the elder Adams — the one whose wife, Judy, received the surprise visitor to her hotel room — stood out at the rink because of his fondness for stretching on the bench between shifts. Rob Rossi, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025 Reviews have skewed negative (a 57% on Rotten Tomatoes) for the film, which follows the elder Day-Lewis as a recluse and former British soldier who has been living in isolation in the woods for two decades when his brother (Sean Bean) unexpectedly shows up. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 5 Oct. 2025 Bean and the elder Day-Lewis are two brothers who come together after complicated decades apart. Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 3 Oct. 2025 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 23 Oct. 2025.

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