eldest

American  

[el-dist] / ˈɛl dɪst /

adjective

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

   eldest brother;

   eldest sister;

   eldest born.

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eldest British  

/ ˈɛldɪst /

adjective

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

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Etymology

Origin of eldest

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

Example Sentences

The arrest was caught on video that was shared on social media, and soon after, his eldest son was granting interviews to the media, keeping his father’s case in the news cycle.

From Los Angeles Times

The eldest children thought it best to retreat into the homes beneath the stone temples of Ingapirca.

From Literature

Their eldest son, Kane Doyle-Durde, now works as a scout for the Dallas Cowboys and their youngest Dylan is working in coaching.

From BBC

Stephen also spoke about how his own children, not least his eldest son who is the same age his father was when Victoria died, never got to have an aunt in their lives.

From BBC

She recruited her eldest daughter and niece to work in the store.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• earlier