the eldest

noun

used in comparing the ages of people who are members of the same family
He's the eldest of her three brothers.

Examples of the eldest 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.
Louise sometimes felt like a little sister in the presence of the eldest daughter, engaged in endless attempts to earn her favor. Catherine Lacey, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026 The San Diego connection lies with Couvrette, the eldest sibling in the Wisnovsky family, who filed the lawsuit against her two youngest brothers, Mark and Michael Wisnovsky. Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026 Born May 4, 1937, in Houston, the eldest of four children, Edwards grew up surrounded by racial segregation. Samantha Lee, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2026 Zeb-un-Nissa Zeb-un-Nissa was the eldest daughter of Aurangzeb. Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for the eldest

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“The eldest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20eldest. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster