looking for word - Wordsmith.org

Wordsmith.org

All-
I am looking for the word that is opposite of ELDER. As in "my dad was the elder brother in the family, my crazy uncle tony was the _____"
All I can thing of is minor, but that doesn't sound right.

Thanks
krakatua

younger

appropriate of course, anything else?

or youngest, in that instance, though the prescriptivists might not like it.

:� )

last-born

Who, here in the South, is aways referred to as "The Baby" until "The Baby" is the only sibling left alive. Then the designation "The Baby" is considered to be somewhat superfluous; but old habits are hard to break so even old timers of ninty-nine years are still called "The Baby".

Same thing here, Milum. My Grandfather's brother, though in his nineties, is still referred to as the baby when the group is being introduced to somebody.

Quote:

or youngest, in that instance, though the prescriptivists might not like it.
:� )

Got that right, unless the other term was 'eldest'. Note that the sentence is not finished.

>>last-born<<

My husband frequently refers to our two sons as Firstborn and Lastborn. You can do that when there are only two.

Well, I never thought about it, but I guess you can also do it when there are more than two: Firstborn, Secondborn,Thirdborn...Lastborn!

An old fashioned term was the cadet but I don't know if that wuld do you any good these days.

Quote:

An old fashioned term was the cadet but I don't know if that wuld do you any good these days.

Le fils cadet. Cadet is a present French word. They have the same clear system as the English. L'a�n� : elder son, le cadet : younger son. Fem. A�n�e-cadette.

In English and in Dutch a cadet means a military trainee (military academy). Plus a cadet-je is a small Dutch white bun. We made bread out of our military trainees.

I think when it comes to two siblings, using 'the elder'and the 'younger'is so very adaquate. Absolutely confusion-proof.It directly shows there are only two siblings.

Quote:

Le fils cadet. Cadet is a present French word. They have the same clear system as the English. L'a�n� : elder son, le cadet : younger son. Fem. A�n�e-cadette.

In English and in Dutch a cadet means a military trainee (military academy). Plus a cadet-je is a small Dutch white bun. We made bread out of our military trainees.
I think when it comes to two siblings, using 'the elder'and the 'younger'is so very adaquate. Absolutely confusion-proof.It directly shows there are only two siblings.

Ok BranShe, let me try out my Dutch/English/French by making up a sentence...

I once knew an aineee-cadette who enticed me with her cadet-je. She was quite adaquate.

How'd I do?

> It directly shows there are only two siblings.

I didn't realize we were trying show that there were only two. that's why I would use youngest.

Quote:

> It directly shows there are only two siblings.

I didn't realize we were trying show that there were only two. that's why I would use youngest.

"Elder" (older) implies to me one of two. Hence, "younger" for weird Uncle Tony.

In French Qu�bec, cadet is still in use too, BranShea; to mean a military student also.

I find though, that like a lot of terms, it used mostly in written communication. In verbal communication, among friends, le b�b� de la famille - the baby of the family - is still used.

I dated an air cadet when I was in high school. "Hey dad, if Ian and I fly to Victoria what time do I have to be home?" Poor Dad.