older

Language: en

🇬🇧 /ˈəʊldə/ 🇺🇸 /ˈoʊldɜr/

📖 Definitions

  1. adjective
    Having lived for a longer time; more advanced in age.; Made or created earlier in time; not new.; Belonging to a former time or period.

🔗 Details

Word forms

Comparative: older, elder Superlative: oldest, eldest

Collocations

old ageold friendold timesgood oldold schoolold-fashionedthe good old days

Derivatives

oldnessoldenoldishold-fashionedold-timeoldieoldster

Synonyms

agedelderlyancientseniormaturevenerable

Antonyms

youngnewmodernrecent

Commonly confused

elder
EN: 'Elder' is used specifically for family seniority (elder brother) or formal titles (elder statesman); 'older' is the general comparative for age or duration.
eldest
EN: 'Eldest' is the superlative used for family order (eldest child); 'oldest' is the general superlative for age or duration.

Spelling tips

EN: Remember that 'elder/eldest' are restricted to family or formal contexts, while 'older/oldest' are used in all other comparative/superlative contexts.

💬 Examples

  1. My older brother graduated from college last year.

  2. We found an older version of the software in the archives.

  3. He often reminisces about the older days of the city.