Why is "the" used??? He is the better for it

"the" is an article for indicating something which is already talked in a conversation.

'Better' is used as a pronoun here: 'He is the better (person) for it.' One dictionary lists it as an idiomatic expression:

for the better
Resulting in or aiming at an improvement: 'Her condition took a turn for the better'.

Hi Sunny,
Your question is a very good one and i am having a hard time explaining why we say He is the better for it instead of He is better for it. Using the seems to make the statement a little more emphatic: America is the better for having Pres. Obama in the White House. Although, America is better for ... seems to express just about the sa

i don't think your answer is exactly what i am looking for.

The phrase appears in this context:

A Building is not situated in place A but in place B -- and the guests are the better for it.

See if better is still used as a pronoun... I disagree... let me know

To me this is the same use of 'the better for' as your first sentence. I don't think 'better' or 'the better' is a pronoun. What would its antecedent be? What would it refer to?

Maybe it is for the better if we just consider it to be an idiomatic phrase of obscure origin.

TrysB