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.
Gena Rowlands, whose captivating work in A Woman Under the Influence and as the elder and dementia-ridden Allie in The Notebook moved moviegoers, has died at 94. Bruce Haring, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2024 Things aren’t going well for the elder, unraveling supe. Jordan Moreau, Variety, 11 July 2024 But Murdoch the elder is trying to change that by ensuring that Lachlan, the current CEO of Fox, would remain in charge, according to a story in the New York Times. Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 24 July 2024 Polling is yet to capture the political ramifications of the younger Biden’s latest legal complications for the elder. Naomi Lim, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 13 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for the elder 

Dictionary Entries Near the elder

Cite this Entry

“The elder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20elder. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!