Difference between Elder and Older

Difference between Elder and Older :



old - (adjective) - old - having lived or existed for a long time
older - (comparative)
oldest - (superlative)

Elder : (adjective) - (no comparative) (of a person, especially in a family) - older, especially, the older of the two

1. He is my elder brother.
2. Her elder daughter is married.

Usage : Compare Elder and Older

Older is used of people or things.
But elder is used only of people and can never be used in comparison.

1. Jane is Mary's elder sister.
2. Jane is older than (not elder) Mary.
3. He got his old job back.
4. Old and new books are sold in the shop.
5. Ram is older than Laxman.
6. Ram is the elder (not older) brother of Laxman.
7. Sita is the eldest in the family.
8. She is the older (not elder) of the two sisters.
9. She is the elder of the two (elder - noun).
10. This is the oldest building in the village.
11. The eldest is 10 years old. (eldest - noun)

Difference between Elder and Older

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