former

Meanings

Adjective

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

Noun

• Someone who forms something; a maker; a creator or founder.
• An object used to form something, such as a template, gauge, or cutting die.
• Someone in, or of, a certain form (class).

Related

Opposite words

• latter

Origin

• From Middle English former, comparative of forme, from Old English forma ("first"), descended from Proto-Germanic *frumô. Parallel to prior (via Latin), as comparative form from same Proto-Indo-European root. Related to first and fore (thence before), from Proto-Germanic.
• form + -er