Overview of noun former

The noun former has 1 sense

• former -- (the first of two or the first mentioned of two; "Tom and Dick were both heroes but only the former is remembered today")

Overview of adj former

The adj former has 4 senses

• former -- (referring to the first of two things or persons mentioned (or the earlier one or ones of several); "the novel was made into a film in 1943 and again in 1967; I prefer the former version to the latter one")


• erstwhile, former, old, onetime, one-time, quondam, sometime -- (belonging to some prior time; "erstwhile friend"; "our former glory"; "the once capital of the state"; "her quondam lover")


• former, late, previous -- ((used especially of persons) of the immediate past; "the former president"; "our late President is still very active"; "the previous occupant of the White House")


• early, former, other -- (belonging to the distant past; "the early inhabitants of Europe"; "former generations"; "in other times")