Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
Former is used to describe someone who used to have a particular job, position, or role, but no longer has it.
...~ President Richard Nixon...
He pleaded not guilty to murdering his ~ wife.
ADJ: ADJ n
2.
Former is used to refer to countries which no longer exist or whose boundaries have changed.
...the ~ Soviet Union.
...the ~ Yugoslavia.
ADJ: ADJ n
3.
Former is used to describe something which used to belong to someone or which used to be a particular thing.
...the ~ home of Sir Christopher Wren.
...a ~ monastery.
ADJ: ADJ n
4.
Former is used to describe a situation or period of time which came before the present one. (FORMAL)
He would want you to remember him as he was in ~ years.
ADJ: ADJ n
5.
When two people, things, or groups have just been mentioned, you can refer to the first of them as the ~.
Given the choice between a pure white T-shirt and a more expensive, dirty cream one, most people can be forgiven for choosing the ~...
? latter
PRON: the PRON