older

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈoʊldər/ UK /ˈəʊldə/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
comparative of old; having lived or existed longer

My older brother taught me how to ride a bicycle.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · comparative of old; having... elder senior aged ancient

Opposites

younger newer junior

Word family

Related forms old oldest elder olden

Appears in

Phrases (3)

See all

Proverbs (1)

See all

The older the fiddle the sweeter the tune

Etymology

The comparative of 'old', from Old English 'eald', from Proto-Germanic *aldaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h2el- ('to grow, nourish').

eald Old English *aldaz Proto-Germanic *h2el- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# older

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈoʊldər/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈəʊldə/

## Meanings
1. comparative of old; having lived or existed longer

## Examples
- My older brother taught me how to ride a bicycle.

## Synonyms
- elder
- senior
- aged
- ancient

## Antonyms
- younger
- newer
- junior

## Related Forms
- old
- oldest
- elder
- olden

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: eald
- Root: *aldaz
- Root: *h2el-

## Etymology
The comparative of 'old', from Old English 'eald', from Proto-Germanic *aldaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h2el- ('to grow, nourish').

## AI Etymology
Older is traced through this development: The comparative of 'old', from Old English 'eald', from Proto-Germanic *aldaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h2el- ('to grow, nourish'). The form is best read as a historical transfer or inheritance, with its older language material carrying the main semantic load. As an adjective, it carries the sense "comparative of old; having lived or existed longer", with the older formation still helping explain the modern use. Relevant historical forms include Old English eald, Proto-Germanic *aldaz, and Proto-Indo-European *h2el-. Related words include old, oldest, elder, olden.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

markdown