Origin: Germanic Old English prefix
Former has 7 different meanings across 2 categories:
the first of two or the first mentioned of two
"Tom and Dick were both heroes but only the former is remembered today"
Someone who forms something; a maker; a creator or founder.
"The former of the ancient temple was honored for carving its intricate stone columns by hand."
In plain English: A former is an old-fashioned word for something that used to exist but no longer does.
"The former player returned to his hometown for a charity match."
Usage: Use "former" as a noun only in very specific contexts to describe a tool or device used to create something, such as a mold or frame. In most everyday situations, you should use the adjective "former" to refer to the first of two people or things mentioned.
referring to the first of two things or persons mentioned (or the earlier one or ones of several)
"the novel was made into a film in 1943 and again in 1967; I prefer the former version to the latter one"
Previous.
"The former manager of the store returned to work after taking a year off."
In plain English: Former means being the first of two people or things mentioned, like when you say your former best friend is no longer your best friend.
"The former president returned to his hometown last week."
Usage: Use former to refer to the first of two things previously mentioned or implied. It typically appears in pairs with latter to distinguish between the two options.
Former comes from the Middle English word for "first," which was borrowed from Old English and ultimately traces back to a common Germanic ancestor. While it shares an ancient root with words like prior, its meaning in English has remained focused on being earlier or preceding something else.