- superlative of old.
eldest
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of eldest
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English eldesta, superlative of eald, ald; see old
Explanation
Someone who's described as eldest in their family was born first. Your eldest sister is the oldest one. Use the adjective eldest when you're describing people in terms of birth order: the oldest is the eldest. Your eldest friend is older than your other friends. You can also use the word as a noun, meaning "firstborn." Your mom might introduce you by saying, "This is my eldest." It's a somewhat formal, old fashioned word, much less popular today than "oldest."
Vocabulary lists containing eldest
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.
“He only wanted to talk about the painting he was working on,” says Mirabelle Marden, his eldest daughter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
Chuvalo is survived by his eldest son Mitch, daughter Vanessa, grandchildren, and second wife Joanne.
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026
"Kim himself inherited power as the third-generation leader despite not being the eldest son," he noted.
From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026
Sloane, the eldest, is an L.A.-based actor and therapist, a feminist in the throes of menopause.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
“My eldest sister has been in town these three months. Have you never happened to see her there?”
From "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen
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.
