Former

/ˈfɔːrmər/

Meaning & Definition

noun

a person who previously held a particular position.

He is a former athlete who now coaches young players.

an object that shapes material, such as a mold.

The craftsman used a former to shape the clay.

adjective

having previously been; earlier or previous in time.

She met her former teachers at the reunion.

of, relating to, or occurring in the past.

The former president addressed the nation.

used to denote a first-mentioned item in a comparison.

In the debate, the former proposal seemed more feasible than the latter.

Middle English: from Old French 'former', from Latin 'formare' meaning 'to form'

former president

the person who previously held the position of president

former glory

a state of greatness that has been lost

former lovers

two people who were in a romantic relationship but are no longer together

latter

the second of two persons or things mentioned

a person with whom one has had a romantic relationship in the past