■ senior

1) 为了避免 old 字，美国的老人叫做 senior citizen 或简称 senior。

2) 但是 senior 用于年龄只是借用，它的原意是职务更高或就学的班级较高，或是工作资历更长。在这个意义上，虽然 senior 本身已经有了比较的意思，但还可以再有比较级。

• Another post was advertised which was more senior, so I applied for that.又登了广告招聘另外一个更高的职位，我就申请应聘了。
• I'd like to speak to someone more senior.我想同一个职位更高的人谈一谈。

3) to be senior to 某人，可以是“年龄比某人大”（要说明大多少岁或月）。

• He's five years senior to me.他比我大五岁。

也可以是“职位比某人高”。

• He is senior to them all.他的职位比它们大家都高。

4) to be one's senior 可以是“年龄比某人大”（要附上年龄差距），也可以是“职位比某人高”（不用附上高多少）。年龄差距可以放在 senior 之前，不用介词，也可以用 by 放在 senior 之后。

• His friend was 10 years his senior.他的朋友比他大十岁。
• He is my senior by three years. 或 He is three years my senior.他比我大三岁。
• You'll have to speak to my senior.你需要同我的上级说才行。

参见 junior 条。