is older than that of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "is older than that of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when comparing the age of one thing to another, particularly in contexts involving time or history. Example: "The fossil found in this region is older than that of any previously discovered species."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

PARIS — No ballet company or ballet school is older than that of the Paris Opera.

The New York Times - Arts

And it is true that a large portion of the "Dancing With the Stars" audience is older than that of most ABC shows.

The New York Times - Arts

Pennsylvania's population of 12 million is older than that of most states; many young people leave, and few come from elsewhere.

The New York Times

Furthermore, according to a previous study of calcareous nannofossil ages in and around the Sagami Knoll, the geological age of the southern outcrop is older than that of the northern outcrop (Kanie et al. 1999).

Earth, Planets and Space

The age of O1a* in Hainan (around 18 thousand years) is older than that of the earliest Neolithic site found in Hainan (around 6,000 years [24].

Plosone

Remarkably, the network metaphor is older than that of a branching tree.

Biology Direct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

As would be expected, the youngest child of members of the WTC sample was older than that of the NDLP sample, with 62percentnt over the age of seven and 30percentnt over the age of 12 at the time of randomisation.

IZA Journal of Labor Policy

Thus, the age of amber may be older than that of the volcanoclastic matrix.

eLife

A Mann Whitney test revealed that the median age for RA cases was older than that of the control population (T = 9.2, p < 0.001).

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

However, the median age of patients with overlap syndrome was older than that of a previous report about European patients [ 9].

BMC Gastroenterology

Secondly, mean age of the participants in this study (28.0 years, S.D. = 4.1 years) was older than that of the earlier study (21.5 years, S.D. = 1.4 years) [ 22].

BMC Psychiatry

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing ages, ensure that the items being compared are of the same category to maintain logical consistency. For instance, compare the age of one geological formation to another, or one historical artifact to another.

Common error

Avoid using the phrase when comparing entities that cannot be logically compared in terms of age. For example, it would be incorrect to say "The software is older than that of the building" because software and buildings are different kinds of entities with different aging processes.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "is older than that of" functions as a comparative adjective phrase, used to indicate that one entity has a greater age or existed earlier in time compared to another. As confirmed by Ludwig, the construction is valid and widely used.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

44%

News & Media

31%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

6%

Formal & Business

6%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "is older than that of" is a grammatically sound and frequently used comparative structure to establish a temporal precedence between two subjects. According to Ludwig, its utility is widely accepted. While simpler forms like "is older than" may suffice in informal settings, the longer version adds clarity in more formal contexts, especially when explicitly referencing a previously mentioned noun. Ludwig's analysis of numerous examples reveals the phrase's prevalence in scientific, news media, and encyclopedic contexts. It's important to ensure logical consistency when comparing subjects and to avoid misusing the phrase with entities that cannot be logically compared in age.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

predates that of

Indicates something came into existence earlier, emphasizing the temporal aspect.

is of earlier origin than that of

Highlights the origin and time of emergence, adding formality.

has a greater antiquity than that of

Emphasizes ancientness or age with a more formal tone.

is more ancient than that of

Directly states greater age using an alternative adjective.

is senior to that of

Implies age in a hierarchical or sequential context, like seniority.

is earlier than that of

A simpler, more direct way of expressing that something happened before.

existed prior to that of

Focuses on the existence of something before another, stressing the timeline.

is from an earlier period than that of

Specifies the timeframe, useful for historical or geological contexts.

is of a bygone era compared to that of

Emphasizes the past and the difference in time periods.

antedates that of

A formal and concise term indicating precedence in time.

FAQs

How can I use "is older than that of" in a sentence?

Use "is older than that of" to compare the age of two subjects, for example: "This manuscript is older than that of the other copies discovered."

What are some alternatives to "is older than that of"?

Alternatives include "predates that of", "is more ancient than that of", or "is earlier than that of", depending on the context.

Which is correct, "is older than" or "is older than that of"?

"Is older than" is generally correct, but "is older than that of" is used to avoid repetition and clarify the comparison when referring back to a specific noun. For example, instead of saying "This car is older than your car", you can say "This car is older than that of your car".

Is there a more concise way to express "is older than that of"?

Yes, in many cases, you can simply use "is older than". The phrase "is older than that of" is useful when you want to explicitly refer back to something already mentioned, but it can be omitted if the context is clear.