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Synonyms

eldest

American  
[el-dist] / ˈɛl dɪst /

adjective

  1. oldest; firstborn; of greatest age: eldest sister;

    eldest brother;

    eldest sister;

    eldest born.
eldest British  
/ ˈɛldɪst /

adjective

  1. being the oldest, esp the oldest surviving child of the same parents

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of eldest

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English eldesta, superlative of eald, ald; old

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Being the eldest, he always looks out for the family.

From Literature

Brooklyn, the Beckhams' eldest child, alleged his parents tried "endlessly to ruin" his relationship, and accused his mother Victoria of hijacking their first wedding dance.

From BBC

Tsuruko, the eldest, stays largely offstage but exerts a crucial, conservative influence on family affairs.

From The Wall Street Journal

Derek and his eldest son pushed the bed under a small plastic skylight in the ceiling, and Javari came back with a metal bat.

From Literature

France appeared on the knee of the eldest male child on the death of each father.

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.