/ˈfɔ:mə(r) ||; ˈfɔrmɚ/noun [sing] the first (of two people or things just mentioned) （两者中的）前者:
Of the two hospitals in the town -- the General and the Royal -the former (= the General) has the better reputation. 镇内有两家医院﹕一为综合医院，一为皇家医院。前者的名声比后者好。 ☞Look at the latter. 参看the latter。