Old may apply to either actual or merely relative length of existence Ancient applies to occurrence, existence, or use in or survival from the distant past. 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. As such, older is not just a euphemism for the blunter old but rather a more precise term for someone between middle and advanced age
And unlike elderly, older does not particularly suggest frailness or infirmity, making it the natural choice in many situations. You can use the adjective older to describe elderly folks (like your older neighbors who don't drive at night any more) or a person who was born first Her older sister was much bossier than her younger sister. Synonyms older, elder imply having greater age than something or someone else 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.
See ‘meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence. My older brother and i are catholic twins He's older by eleven months, not quite a year older than me. Browse the complete thesaurus entry for older, including synonyms and antonyms, and related words. Older typically refers to something or someone that is relatively advanced in age compared to others It can be used to describe individuals who have reached a certain stage in their life, usually beyond middle age.
Elder and older are both adjectives that mean more advanced in age. older can be used of people and things ('an older sibling;' 'an older house'), but elder can only be used of people ('the elder son').
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