1. (

• former

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

1. (

• 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" ;

2. (

• 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" ;

3. (

• 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" ;

4. (

• early ,
• former ,
• other ,

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