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former

FOR-mur/ˈfɔɹmɚ/UKFAW-muh/ˈfɔːmə/

Noun pluralformers

5 meanings of former

Practice

  1. 1
    previousadjective
    Happening or true at an earlier time, but not now.

    Like an old address where you used to live but have since moved away.

    The former champion now coaches a youth team.

    Her former teacher still sends her birthday cards.

    UsageSay my former boss: the boss I had before.

    Similarerstwhile, sometime

    Oppositecurrent, next

  2. 2
    first of twoadjective
    The first of two things just mentioned, not the second.

    Like saying "the first one" after you have named two choices.

    She offered tea or coffee, and I chose the former.

    Speed and accuracy both matter, but the former is more important in a sprint.

    Usagethe former is the first of two; the latter is the second.

    Similarfirst

    Oppositelatter

    Note
  3. 3
    school pupilnounBritishcountable
    A student in a certain class or year at school.

    Like saying which year or grade a student belongs to at school.

    The sixth formers studied hard for their final exams.

    Every fifth former joined the school trip to France.

    UsageSay a sixth-former.

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 4
    makernounrarecountable
    A person who makes, shapes, or creates something.

    Similarmaker, creator, founder, builder, shaper

    Oppositedestroyer

    Note
  2. 5
    noun
    A tool or shape used to give something else its form.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of former apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1–2

It comes from Old English "forma," meaning "first." "Former" was the comparative form of an old word for "first."

Checked 30 Oct 2026 · 2 facts

Meanings 3–4

It comes from Middle English "formere," made from "form" plus the ending "-er."

Checked 30 Oct 2026 · 2 facts