1.elder作名词时,单数形式表示“两个人中年龄较大的人”,其前常加定冠词。引申表示“长辈”“先辈”,指年迈而又有权威的人,用于具体的人时,其前加物主代词,泛指时常用复数形式。
2.elder当表示“二人之中年龄较大者”时,多用one's elder的形式,如要比较二人年龄的大小,不能与than连用,要用be the elder of sb 结构。

He is the elder of the two.他是两人中年纪较大的一个。
Which is the elder of the two sisters?两姐妹中哪个是姐姐?
He is my elder.他比我年长。
He is four years my elder.他比我大四岁。
He married a woman nearly six years his elder.他和一个几乎比他大6岁的女人结了婚。
He is a disillusioned elder.他是个觉悟了的长者。
The old man is a grumpy elder.这老人是个脾气坏的长者。
The old man is a ruling elder in this family.这老人在这家庭中起支配作用。
Don't be an unsuspecting elder.不要做一个轻信的年长者。
He shouldn't burlesque the elder.他不应嘲弄那长者。
The elder warns me against false friends.这长辈要我提防假朋友。
Traditions were passed on by the elder of the tribe.传统的观念习俗由部族的长者世代相传。
She always heeds her elder.她总是关心长辈。
He shouldn't grieve his elder.他不应让长辈伤心。
She shouldn't entreat her elder like that.她不应那样对待长辈。
He exhorted his elder.他规劝长辈。
He has succeeded his elder as manager.他已接替长辈当了经理。
I hope that my elder will pardon me.我希望长辈原谅我。
The girl reveres her elder.这女孩敬畏长辈。
Should we always respect our elders?我们应当永远尊敬长辈吗?
We should honor elders.我们应尊敬长辈。
It worries the elders.这事使长者困扰。
I always follow the advice of our elders.我总是听从长辈的劝告。

1.elder是old的比较级形式之一,但已失去比较意义,成为定语形容词,表示兄弟姐妹中或两个指明的人中较年长者。
2.the elder可用于人名前后,以区别于同姓名的年龄较小者,可译为“老…”。
3.elder无比较级和最高级。

用作定语
▲～+n.
She has an elder sister.她有一个姐姐。
The elder sister is called Mary.姐姐名叫玛丽。
Everything the boy does is an express copy of his elder brother's behaviour. 这个男孩的一举一动显然是模仿他哥哥的举止。
My elder brother will eat in tonight.我哥哥今晚在家吃饭。
My elder sister came back home, before long she fell ill.我姐姐回家来了,不久她病了。
His elder brother left a watch with him.他哥哥把一块表交托给他。
Our family lived mainly on the earnings of my elder sister.我们家主要靠我姐姐挣钱生活。
From her letter I learned that her elder son is now in the army.从她信上我了解到,她的大儿子现在在部队里。
He is the elder Tom.他是老汤姆。
William Pitt the elder was a politician, like his son.老威廉·皮特跟他儿子一样是从政的。
Mr. Smith is an elder statesman.史密斯先生是政界元老。
He is the elder member of the Party.他是党内年龄较大的成员。
She has forgotten elder times.她已忘却了昔日。

elder, elderly
这两个词的区别是:elder表示“年龄较大的”“年长的”,指相对于某人或某事来说年龄比较大; elderly表示“上了年纪的”“过了中年的”,是绝对意义上的年纪较大。例如:
She is my elder daughter.她是我的大女儿。
He's very active for an elderly man.按老年人来说,他非常活跃。

elder, older
这两个词都是old的比较级。其区别是:
elder强调“次第”,而older强调“年龄”。
1.older在句中,可用作定语也可用作表语,且可与than连用; elder在句中只能用作定语,不可与than连用。例如:
My elder brother is two years older than me.我的哥哥比我年长两岁。
2.older可修饰人或事物; 而elder则只能修饰人。例如:
It claims to be the older insurance company in the world.据称这是世界上一家较早的保险公司。
He is my elder brother.他是我哥哥。
3.在英国说“哥哥”“姐姐”时用elder; 而在美国则用older。

达夫比汤姆年长。
［误］  Daff is elder than Tom.
［正］  Daff is older than Tom.
［析］  elder不与than连用,在句中只能作定语。

my elder daughter〔son〕的意思是“我的大女儿〔儿子〕”,即“有两个女儿〔儿子〕”, my elder sister〔brother〕的意思是“我的姐姐〔哥哥〕”,即“我只有一个姐姐〔哥哥〕”。

［同义词］ n. deacon, senior adj. ancient, older, senior
［反义词］ n. younger adj. young
［词源］  ＜古英语eldra (老)