Aîné (en. Elder)

[ɛne]

Meaning & Definition

EnglishFrench
noun
Person who is the firstborn of a sibling group.
My brother is the eldest in our family.
Mon frère est l'aîné de notre famille.
In an organization, this can refer to the oldest member or the first on a list.
The eldest member of the club spoke up.
L'aîné des membres du club a pris la parole.
Often used to refer to the person with the most experience.
He is the elder among the experts in this field.
Il est l'aîné parmi les experts dans ce domaine.

Etymology

From Old French 'aïné', derived from 'aîner' which means 'to be the firstborn'.

Common Phrases and Expressions

the eldest of the siblings
the firstborn among the brothers and sisters.
l'aîné de la fratrie
duties of the elder
role played by the elder in a given situation.
exercice de l'aîné
the eldest of the wise
the one who is the most experienced or oldest in a group.
l'aîné des sages

Related Words

younger
Person who is born after the elder of a sibling group.
cadet
sister
Woman who has brothers or sisters, whose elder can be male or female.
sœur
sibling group
All siblings in the same family.
fratrie

Slang Meanings

The elder as a source of advice.
He always consults his elder when making important decisions.
Il consulte toujours son aîné pour prendre des décisions importantes.
The elder can also be used in slang to describe someone in a respectful manner.
Hi, elder, how are you?
Salut, l'aîné, comment ça va ?