προφερής

A. carried before, placed before, excelling, c. gen., ἀλλάων προφερής τ’ ἦν πρεσβυτάτη τε Hes. Sc. 260: Hom. only Comp. (exc. Sup., ἅλματι . . πάντων προφερέστατος Od. 8.128), more excellent, τῶν δ’ ἄλλων ἐμέ φημι πολὺ προφερέστερον εἶναι Od. 8.221: c. dat. rei, βίῃ προφερέστερος 21.134: c. inf., [ἡμίονοι] βοῶν προφερέστεραί εἰσιν ἑλκέμεναι Il. 10.352: Sup., προφερεστάτη ἐστὶν ἁπασέων Hes. Th. 79,361 (where it is commonly interpreted eldest); ἀνὴρ προφερέστατος ἀνδρῶν IG 14.935, cf. Theoc. 17.4; ἡνιόχων π. IG 14.1628, cf. Epigr.Gr. 435 (Trachonitis); also Comp. and Sup., προφέρτερος, προφέρτατος in the sense of older, eldest, S. Fr. 447, OC 1531.

II. looking older than one is, well-grown, Pl. Euthd. 271b, cf. Aeschin. 1.49; of plants and young persons, forced, premature, precocious, τὰ π. Aristox. ap. Stob. 4.37.4, cf. Iamb. VP 31.209.