What's the difference between elder and older？

[v0031]

 What's the difference between elder and older？

[Alben Barkley]

They both work as adjectives, but you wouldn’t say something like “John is elder than Bob.” You could say “John is the elder child,” however. “Older” works in both instances.

“Elder” can also be a noun. e.g. “My father is my elder.” You wouldn’t use “older” like that.

[Mr. Smith]

Elder is reserved for animate, sentient things. [Ex: Humans, dogs, cats, etc.]

Older is not, also older can be used to compare [Ex: He's older than you]

[Alben Barkley]

Elder is reserved for animate, sentient things. [Ex: Humans, dogs, cats, etc.]

Older is not, also older can be used to compare [Ex: He's older than you]

I think “elder” is more commonly used as a noun than anything else nowadays though. In most cases it seems “older” is used even when you could use “elder” instead.

[Geoffrey Howe]

Concur with the above, but I would add that elder has a more old-fashioned ring to it and I think is generally preferable; though obviously not in comparatives.

[Ferguson97]

Elder is a noun, older is an adjective.

[Ancestral Republican]

Elder is a noun, older is an adjective.

Both can be either, depending on context.