Synonyms:
former(a)
Meaning: 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"
Synonyms:
erstwhile(a), former(a), old, onetime(a), one-time(a), quondam(a), sometime(a)
Meaning: belonging to some prior time; "erstwhile friend"; "our former glory"; "the once capital of the state"; "her quondam lover"
Synonyms:
former(a), late(a), previous(a)
Meaning: (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"
noun
meaning of the word
Synonyms:
former
Meaning: the first of two or the first mentioned of two; "Tom and Dick were both heroes but only the former is remembered today"
Usage examples
He followed the former.
A former pupil of his writes:
The former was the more powerful.
"Have you forgotten your former life?
The latter walked on; the former came in.
My former bad opinion of Delisle was now indeed shaken.
They knew it to be the hand of one of their former shipmates.
The latter is pleasing, certainly, but the former is charming.
Now a former thought struck her--she would speak to Mrs. Hawkins.
That, too, plainly refers to a former letter--not a word of the sort.