former

Plural: formers

Noun

• One that forms or gives shape to something.
• the first of two or the first mentioned of two
  • "Tom and Dick were both heroes but only the former is remembered today"
• Someone who forms something; a maker; a creator or founder.
• An object used to form something, such as a template, gauge, or cutting die.
• Someone in, or of, a certain form (class).

Adjective

• referring to the first of two things or persons mentioned (or the earlier one or ones of several)
  • "the novel was made into a film in 1943 and again in 1967; I prefer the former version to the latter one"

Adjective Satellite

• belonging to some prior time
  • "our former glory"
• (used especially of persons) of the immediate past
  • "the former president"
• belonging to the distant past
  • "former generations"

Adj

• Previous.
• First of aforementioned two items. Used with the, often without a noun.

Examples

• A former president
• Bananas are tastier than parsnips, but the latter’s nutritional value is higher than the former’s.
• Dave was the former of the company.
• Fifth-former.
• He’s a true former of strategy, always seeing plays others miss in Words With Friends.
• Sixth-former.
• The brick arch was built using a wooden former.
• the former East Germany
• The former is a good idea but the latter is not.
• We have two cars, a red one and a blue one. We won the former on a game show.

Synonyms

early, erstwhile, late, old, one-time, onetime, other, previous, quondam, sometime, antecedent, anterior, earlier, ex, foregone, former, olden, past, precedent, preceding, prior, used-to-be, whilom, wont-to-be

Antonyms

latter, current, former, next, subsequent

Related Words

ex-, formerly

Anagrams of former