former
pronunciation
How to pronounce former in British English:
UK [ˈfɔːmə(r)]
How to pronounce former in American English:
US [ˈfɔːrmər]
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- Noun:
- the first of two or the first mentioned of two
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- Adjective:
- referring to the first of two things or persons mentioned (or the earlier one or ones of several)
- belonging to some prior time
- (used especially of persons) of the immediate past
- of the distant past
Word Origin
- former
- former: [12] Former is a comparative form based on Middle English forme ‘first (in time or order)’, on the analogy of the superlative foremost [16] (which was originally formost [12]; the modern spelling came about through association with fore and most). Forme itself goes back to Old English forma, which was a descendant of a prehistoric Germanic superlative from derived from *fora ‘before’ (whence also English first, for, and fore). So untangling the suffixal accretions of centuries, former means etymologically ‘more most before’.=> first, for, fore, primary
- former (adj.)
- "earlier in time," mid-12c., comparative of forme "first, earliest in time or order," from Old English forma "first," from Proto-Germanic *fruma-, *furma-, from PIE *pre-mo-, suffixed (superlative) form of root *per- (1) "forward, through; before; first" (see per). Probably patterned on formest (see foremost); it is an unusual case of a comparative formed from a superlative (the Old English -m is a superlative suffix). As "first of two," 1580s.
- former (n.)
- "one who gives form," mid-14c., agent noun from form (v.). The Latin agent noun was formator.
Example
- 1. They overwhelmingly assume the former is better value .
- 2. Wang hui espouses the former view .
- 3. But other former officials point to political risks .
- 4. A former schoolmate of mine started a tourism business .
- 5. In a city of fast-rising house prices , the former villages offer affordable accommodation .