elder
[adjective]
Synonyms:
- older, first-born, senior
[noun]
Synonyms:
- older person, senior

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. el‧der¹ /ˈeldə $ -ər/ adjective especially British English
[Language: Old English; Origin: ieldra, from eald 'old']
the elder of two people, especially brothers and sisters, is the one who was born first Antonym : younger
elder brother/son/sister/daughter etc
His elder son Liam became a lawyer.
Sarah is the elder of the two.
► Do not say ‘elder than someone’. Say older than someone: She was two years older than me.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. elder² noun [countable]
[Sense 1-5: Origin: ⇒ elder¹]
[Sense 6: Language: Old English; Origin: ellærn]

1. be sb’s elder formal to be older than someone else
be two/ten etc years sb’s elder
Janet’s sister was eight years her elder.

2. sb’s elders (and betters) people who are older than you and who you should respect

3. a member of a tribe or other social group who is important and respected because they are old:
a meeting of the village elders

4. someone who has an official position of responsibility in some Christian churches

5. elder abuse the crime of harming an old person

6. a small wild tree that has white flowers and black BERRIES

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

elder
adjective
1.
BAD: The restaurant seems to be more popular with elder people.
GOOD: The restaurant seems to be more popular with older people.
BAD: The young man was unhurt but the elder one was taken to hospital in an ambulance.
GOOD: The young man was unhurt but the older one was taken to hospital in an ambulance.

Usage Note:
Do not use elder unless you are talking about the members of a family: 'her elder brother', 'my elder son'.

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2.
BAD: My sister is just two years elder than me.
GOOD: My sister is just two years older than me.

Usage Note:
Someone/something is older (than someone/something else): 'Their children are older than ours.' 'Her husband is five years older.'
Elder is mainly used in front of a noun ('my elder sister') and as a pronoun ('Which of the two sisters is the elder?')

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲