older

[ ohl-der ]

/ ˈoʊl dər /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR older ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

a comparative of old.

ANTONYMS FOR older

newer, younger.

SEE ANTONYMS FOR older ON THESAURUS.COM

synonym study for older

Older, elder imply having greater age than something or someone else. Older is the usual form of the comparative of old: This building is older than that one. Elder, now greatly restricted in application, is used chiefly to indicate seniority in age as between any two people but especially priority of birth as between children born of the same parents: The elder brother became king.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH older

elder older (see synonym study at the current entry)

Words nearby older

oldcastle, olde-worlde, olden, oldenbarneveldt, oldenburg, older, oldest, oldfangled, oldfield, oldham, oldie

Definition for older (2 of 2)

old

[ ohld ]

/ oʊld /

adjective, old·er, old·est or eld·er, eld·est.

far advanced in the years of one's or its life: an old man; an old horse; an old tree.

of or relating to the latter part of the life or term of existence of a person or thing: old age.

as if or appearing to be far advanced in years: Worry had made him old.

having lived or existed for a specified time: a man 30 years old; a century-old organization.

having lived or existed as specified with relation to younger or newer persons or things: Jim is our oldest boy.

having been aged for a specified time: This whiskey is eight years old.

having been aged for a comparatively long time: old brandy.

long known or in use: the same old excuse.

overfamiliar to the point of tedium: Some jokes get old fast.

belonging to the past: the good old days.

having been in existence since the distant past: a fine old family.

no longer in general use: This typewriter is an old model.

acquired, made, or in use by one prior to the acquisition, making, or use of something more recent: When the new house was built, we sold the old one.

of, relating to, or originating at an earlier period or date: old maps.

prehistoric; ancient: There may have been an old land bridge between Asia and Alaska.

(initial capital letter) (of a language) in its oldest known period, as attested by the earliest written records: Old Czech.

experienced: He's an old hand at welding.

of long standing; having been such for a comparatively long time: an old and trusted employee.

(of colors) dull, faded, or subdued: old rose.

deteriorated through age or long use; worn, decayed, or dilapidated: old clothes.

Physical Geography. (of landforms) far advanced in reduction by erosion or the like.

sedate, sensible, mature, or wise: That child seems old beyond his years.

(used to indicate affection, familiarity, disparagement, or a personalization): good old Bob; that dirty old jalopy.

Informal. (used as an intensive) great; uncommon: a high old time.

former; having been so formerly: a dinner for his old students.

noun

(used with a plural verb) old persons collectively (usually preceded by the): appropriations to care for the old.

a person or animal of a specified age or age group (used in combination): a class for six-year-olds; a horse race for three-year-olds.

old or former time, often time long past: days of old.

Origin of old

before 900; Middle English; Old English eald, ald; cognate with Dutch old, German alt, Gothic altheis; akin to Old Norse ala to nourish

SYNONYMS FOR old

1 Old, aged, elderly all mean well along in years. An old person has lived long, nearly to the end of the usual period of life. An aged person is very far advanced in years, and is usually afflicted with the infirmities of age. An elderly person is somewhat old, but usually has the mellowness, satisfactions, and joys of age ahead.

9 olden, early.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR old ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR old

1 young.

SEE ANTONYMS FOR old ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM old

old·ness, noun

Example sentences from the Web for older

Do you think that as we get older our thoughts shift to the more abstract, the music, than the definite, the lyrics?

Belle & Sebastian Aren’t So Shy Anymore |James Joiner |January 7, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
But as you get older, I find I get more tunes and I have to work harder at the words.

Belle & Sebastian Aren’t So Shy Anymore |James Joiner |January 7, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
The older boy climbed in first, followed by the younger son and then their mother.

Choking Back Tears, Thousands of Cops Honor Fallen Officer Ramos |Michael Daly |December 28, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Ramos was 38—nearly two decades older than the average recruit.

In The Shadow of Murdered Cops |Michael Daly |December 26, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Julio Cardenas, 25 and an MC from the group RCA, was older but with a youthful smile that hid the harsher sides of Cuban life.

Cuban Hip-Hop Was Born in Alamar |Daniel Levin |December 26, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
If the older form were Gaelic, the substitution, or translation, would have been superfluous.

A Handbook of the English Language |Robert Gordon Latham
He had a standing order with off-planet agents for archaic chess books, the older the better.

Planet of the Damned |Harry Harrison
Miss Dalrymple then took one of the older servants into confidence, and asked her if the house was haunted.

Ghostly Phenomena |Elliot O'Donnell.
He is nearly two years older than Frank, and about as opposite to him in personal appearance as can well be imagined.

Frank's Campaign |Horatio Alger, Jr.
The older children were already of the greatest assistance to their parents, and there was no room for her in the crowded shack.

The Peace of Roaring River |George van Schaick

British Dictionary definitions for older (1 of 2)

older

/ (ˈəʊldə) /

adjective

the comparative of old

having lived or existed longer; of greater age Also (of people, esp members of the same family): elder

British Dictionary definitions for older (2 of 2)

old

/ (əʊld) /

adjective

having lived or existed for a relatively long time an old man; an old tradition; old wine; an old house; an old country

of or relating to advanced years or a long lifeold age
(as collective noun; preceded by the)the old
old and young people of all ages

decrepit or senile

worn with age or use old clothes; an old car

(postpositive) having lived or existed for a specified perioda child who is six years old
(in combination)a six-year-old child
(as noun in combination)a six-year-old

(capital when part of a name or title) earlier or earliest of two or more things with the same name the old edition; the Old Testament; old Norwich

(capital when part of a name) designating the form of a language in which the earliest known records are written Old English

(prenominal) familiar through long acquaintance or repetition an old friend; an old excuse

practised; hardened old in cunning

(prenominal often preceded by good) cherished; dear: used as a term of affection or familiarity good old George

informal (with any of several nouns) used as a familiar form of address to a person old thing; old bean; old stick; old fellow

skilled through long experience (esp in the phrase an old hand)

out-of-date; unfashionable

remote or distant in origin or time of origin an old culture

(prenominal) former; previous my old house was small

(prenominal) established for a relatively long timean old member
(in combination)old-established

sensible, wise, or mature old beyond one's years

(of a river, valley, or land surface) in the final stage of the cycle of erosion, characterized by flat extensive flood plains and minimum relief See also youthful (def. 4), mature (def. 6)

(intensifier) (esp in phrases such as a good old time, any old thing, any old how, etc)

(of crops) harvested late

good old days an earlier period of time regarded as better than the present

little old informal indicating affection, esp humorous affection my little old wife

the old one or the old gentleman informal a jocular name for Satan

noun

an earlier or past time (esp in the phrase of old) in days of old

Derived forms of old

oldish, adjective oldness, noun

Word Origin for old

Old English eald; related to Old Saxon ald, Old High German, German alt, Latin altus high

usage for old

Many people nowadays prefer to talk about older people rather than old people, and the phrase the old is best avoided altogether

Idioms and Phrases with older

old

In addition to the idioms beginning with old

old as Adam
old chestnut
old college try, the
old saw
old shoe
old stamping ground
old story, an
old wives' tale

also see:

any old
chip off the old block
comfortable as an old shoe
dirty joke (old man)
get the air (old heave-ho)
no fool like an old fool
of old
ripe old age
same old story
settle a score (old scores)
stamping ground, old
teach an old dog new tricks
up to one's old tricks

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

older

adjective

ANTONYMS FOR older

synonym study for older

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH older

Words nearby older

Definition for older (2 of 2)

adjective, old·er, old·est or eld·er, eld·est.

noun

Origin of old

SYNONYMS FOR old

ANTONYMS FOR old

OTHER WORDS FROM old

Example sentences from the Web for older

British Dictionary definitions for older (1 of 2)

adjective

British Dictionary definitions for older (2 of 2)

adjective

noun

Derived forms of old

Word Origin for old

usage for old

Idioms and Phrases with older

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

older

adjective

ANTONYMS FOR older

synonym study for older

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH older

Words nearby older

Definition for older (2 of 2)

adjective, old·er, old·est or eld·er, eld·est.

noun

Origin of old

SYNONYMS FOR old

ANTONYMS FOR old

OTHER WORDS FROM old

Words related to older

Example sentences from the Web for older

British Dictionary definitions for older (1 of 2)

adjective

British Dictionary definitions for older (2 of 2)

adjective

noun

Derived forms of old

Word Origin for old

usage for old

Idioms and Phrases with older