former

Plural

formers

Adjective

Adjective

×

A word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun.

1. 1.Previous.

   • The former-slaves-turned-abolitionists Quobna Ottobah Cugoano and Olaudah Equiano were the chief organizers of the Sons of Africa.
   • Another ANC splinter party, the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK), led by former President Jacob Zuma appears to be on course to do well in KwaZulu-Natal, the eastern coastal province where Durban is located.

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

   • 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.
   • Bananas are tastier than parsnips, but the latter’s nutritional value is higher than the former’s.

Noun

Noun

×

A word that identifies a person, place, thing, or idea.

1. 1.Someone who forms something; a maker; a creator or founder.

   • Dave was the former of the company.

2. 2.An object used to form something, such as a template, gauge, or cutting die.

   • The brick arch was built using a wooden former.

3. 3.Someone in, or of, a certain form (class).

Overall

Common· #524

By learning goal

Everyday conversation

Uncommon

General reading & writing

Common

Academic

Rare

Literature

Rare

Word family

• form