French word

aîné

Pronunciation

IPA/ene/

Meaning

  • adjectiveolder

Example

Mon frère aîné habite à Paris.

My older brother lives in Paris.

Illustration for aîné (older)

More examples

Le frère aîné prend souvent les devants dans la famille.

The older brother often takes the lead in the family.

Core concept

A family member standing earlier in the birth order, with younger siblings following.

Common phrases

  • le frère aîné

    older brother

  • la sœur aînée

    older sister

  • notre fils aîné

    eldest son

Similar words

cadet: Describes a sibling who is younger than another.
âgé: Describes someone who is old or elderly.

Definition in French

Indique qu'une personne a un âge supérieur à une autre, en particulier pour un frère, une sœur ou un enfant dans la fratrie.

Word origin

French aîné developed from Old French ainzné, ultimately combining Latin ante, meaning 'before', with natus, meaning 'born'.

Usage tips

  • As an adjective, aîné usually follows the noun and agrees in gender and number: mon frère aîné, ma sœur aînée, and mes frères aînés.

Other meanings

  • eldernoun
  • firstbornnoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word