Meaning & use
eldest
Last updated
Being the oldest among a group of siblings or family members.
See it in a sentence
As the eldest of four children, Maria often looked after her younger brothers.
The family estate traditionally passed to the eldest son.
A note on using this word
"Eldest" is normally reserved for comparing people within a family (siblings or children), while "oldest" can compare any people or things.
Words with a similar meaning
oldestfirstborn
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
youngest
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