former

English Online Dictionary. What means former‎? What does former mean?

English

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈfɔɹmɚ/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈfɔːmə/
• Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)mə(ɹ)

Etymology 1

Inherited from Middle English former, comparative of forme (“first”), 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.

Adjective

former (not comparable)

1. Previous.

   Synonyms: erstwhile, sometime, whilom, wont-to-be; see also Thesaurus:former

   Antonyms: next; see also Thesaurus:subsequent
3. First of aforementioned two items. Used with the, often without a noun.

   Antonym: latter

Alternative forms

• fmr, fmr. (abbreviations)

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• ex-

Etymology 2

Inherited from Middle English formere. By surface analysis, form +‎ -er.

Noun

former (plural formers)

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

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

3. (chiefly British, used in combinations) Someone in, or of, a certain form (class).

Derived terms

Anagrams

• Reform, re-form, reform

Danish

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ˈfɒːmɐ]

Noun

former c

1. indefinite plural of form

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ˈfɒːmɐ]

Verb

former

1. present of forme

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [fʌˈmeɐ̯ˀ]

Verb

former or formér

1. imperative of formere

French

Etymology

Inherited from Old French, borrowed from Latin fōrmāre (“to form”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fɔʁ.me/

Verb

former

1. to form (generic sense)
2. to shape (to make into a certain shape)
3. to train; to educate

Conjugation

Related terms

• formation
• forme

Further reading

• “former”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Latin

Verb

fōrmer

1. first-person singular present passive subjunctive of fōrmō

Norwegian Bokmål

Noun

former m or f

1. indefinite plural of form

Verb

former

1. present of forme

Norwegian Nynorsk

Noun

former f

1. indefinite plural of form

Swedish

Noun

former

1. indefinite plural of form

Anagrams

• reform