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
On what would have been the elder Barbara Bush’s birthday, Laura posted a throwback photo that featured her late mother- and father-in-law with their grandchildren and great-grandchildren in Maine.
—
Alex Apatoff,
PEOPLE,
6 July 2026
Pew Research has documented that Millennials — particularly the elder cohort — lead all other generations not just in technology ownership but in behavioral integration of technology into professional life.
—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
3 July 2026
None of this would have been possible if not for a dream the elder José Cruz pursued long ago.
—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
Ma, a Chinese and Taiwanese American, grew up playing Taiwanese mah-jongg, and along with his father—the elder Tim Ma—began hosting weekly lessons at his restaurant.
—
Ashley Parker,
The Atlantic,
15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for the elder
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Alex Apatoff,
PEOPLE,
6 July 2026
Pew Research has documented that Millennials — particularly the elder cohort — lead all other generations not just in technology ownership but in behavioral integration of technology into professional life.
—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
3 July 2026
None of this would have been possible if not for a dream the elder José Cruz pursued long ago.
—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
Ma, a Chinese and Taiwanese American, grew up playing Taiwanese mah-jongg, and along with his father—the elder Tim Ma—began hosting weekly lessons at his restaurant.
—
Ashley Parker,
The Atlantic,
15 June 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 7 Jul. 2026.
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