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
And the elder Seymour, a slight man, did not sit on the sidelines.
—
Andre Mouchard, Sacbee.com, 22 Apr. 2026
As the elder daughter of King George V’s second son, Elizabeth was expected to live the life of a minor royal.
—ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026
Presiding over it all alongside Goldberg as the elder statesman is camp impresario John Waters, who plays the louche Persian cat Armando — a role model for Kevin’s new, mostly post-human existence.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
Superman alum Victor DiMattia joined The Sandlot as Timmy Timmons, the elder of the Timmons brothers.
—Madeline Boardman, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the elder
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Andre Mouchard, Sacbee.com, 22 Apr. 2026
As the elder daughter of King George V’s second son, Elizabeth was expected to live the life of a minor royal.
—ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026
Presiding over it all alongside Goldberg as the elder statesman is camp impresario John Waters, who plays the louche Persian cat Armando — a role model for Kevin’s new, mostly post-human existence.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
Superman alum Victor DiMattia joined The Sandlot as Timmy Timmons, the elder of the Timmons brothers.
—Madeline Boardman, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Apr. 2026
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 1 May. 2026.
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