This is the 4771st most frequent German word.
älter
"Älter" means "older" in English.
Here, 'älter' is used in a comparative form to describe age difference between two individuals.
Mein Bruder ist älter als ich.
My brother is older than me.
In this context, 'älter' compares the publication times or durations of two books.
Dieses Buch ist älter als das andere.
This book is older than the other one.
In this sentence, 'älter' is part of a correlative construction, indicating progression in age leading to increased wisdom.