eldest

• IPA^(key): /ˈɛldɪst/

• Audio (Southern England):

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• Hyphenation: eld‧est

eldest

1. superlative form of old: most old; greatest in age or seniority.
   • 1945, E[lizabeth] G[idley] Withycombe, “Introduction”, in The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page xiii:

     The eldest son was usually given the name of his paternal grandfather, later children those of other relatives.

The normal superlative of old is oldest. The form eldest usually refers to relations with respect to seniority in age.

• oldest

eldest (not comparable)

1. (card games) (of a player) Receiving cards from the dealer first, before any other players.
2. (card games) (of a hand) Having higher, or superior cards.
   • 2003, The Card Game Set‎^[1], Thunder Bay Press:

     Each player draws a card, and the lowest becomes eldest hand.

eldest (plural eldests)

1. The eldest child in a family, or individual in a group.

• Ledets, steeld

eldest

1. inflection of eldast:
   1. present tense
   2. past tense