first

American  

[furst] / fɜrst /

adjective

1. being before all others with respect to time, order, rank, importance, etc., used as the ordinal number of one: the first edition; the first vice president.

2. Music. highest or chief among several voices or instruments of the same class.

   first alto; first horn.

3. Automotive. low.

4. (often initial capital letter) being a member of the household or an intimate acquaintance of the president of the United States or of the governor of a state.

   the First Lady; Checkers, the first dog.

---

adverb

1. before all others or anything else in time, order, rank, etc.

2. before some other thing, event, etc..

   If you're going, phone first.

3. for the first time.

   She first visited Atlanta in 1980.

4. in preference to something else; rather; sooner.

   I'd die first.

5. in the first place; firstly.

noun

1. the person or thing that is first in time, order, rank, etc.

2. the beginning.

3. the first part; first member of a series.

4. Music.

   1. the voice or instrument that takes the highest or chief part in its class, especially in an orchestra or chorus.

   2. a leader of a part or group of performers.

5. Automotive. low gear; first gear.

   She shifted into first and drove off.

6. the winning position or rank in a race or other competition.

7. Baseball. first base.

8. Commerce. Usually firsts

   1. a product or goods of the first or highest quality.

   2. goods produced according to specifications, without visible flaws.

9. British University.

   1. first-class honors.

   2. a person who has won such honors.

idioms

1. first and last, everything considered; above all else; altogether.

   First and last, it is important to know oneself.

2. first off, at the outset; in the beginning.

   He wanted to know first off why he hadn't been notified.

3. first thing, before anything else.

   I'll call you first thing when I arrive.

first British  

/ fɜːst /

adjective

1. 1. coming before all others; earliest, best, or foremost

   2. ( as noun )

      I was the first to arrive

2. preceding all others in numbering or counting order; the ordinal number of one . Often written: 1st

3. rated, graded, or ranked above all other levels

4. denoting the lowest forward ratio of a gearbox in a motor vehicle

5. music

   1. denoting the highest part assigned to one of the voice parts in a chorus or one of the sections of an orchestra

      first soprano

      the first violins

   2. denoting the principal player in a specific orchestral section

      he plays first horn

6. as the first action of the day

   I'll see you first thing tomorrow

7. things must be done in order of priority

8. (in negative constructions) even one thing

   he doesn't know the first thing about me

---

noun

1. the beginning; outset

   I knew you were a rogue from the first

   I couldn't see at first because of the mist

2. Full term: first-class honours degree.  education an honours degree of the highest class

3. something which has not occurred before

   a first for the company

4. the lowest forward ratio of a gearbox in a motor vehicle; low gear

5. music

   1. the highest part in a particular section of a chorus or orchestra

   2. the instrument or voice taking such a part

   3. the chief or leading player in a section of an orchestra; principal

6. music a rare word for prime

adverb

1. before anything else in order, time, preference, importance, etc

   do this first

   first, remove the head and tail of the fish

2. on the whole; overall

3. throughout

4. for the first time

   I've loved you since I first saw you

5. (sentence modifier) in the first place or beginning of a series of actions

   first I want to talk about criminality

first More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing first

• at first
• at first blush
• at first hand
• cast the first stone
• get to first base
• if at first you don't succeed
• in the (first) flush of
• in the first place
• love at first sight
• not know beans (the first thing)
• of the first water
• on a first-name basis

---

Usage

What is a basic definition of first? First is used to describe something as being original or before anything else, as in time, order, or rank. First can also be used to describe something as happening before something else or as happening for the first time. First is also used as a noun to mean the person or thing that is before all others, as in rank. First has other senses as an adjective, adverb, and noun. As an adjective, first describes something as being the original, with nothing else coming before it in time or in a series. In regards to importance or rank, first means no other rank is higher or has more authority. A ship captain’s first mate, for example, has the most authority out of all the crew. The opposite of first is last.

• Real-life examples: A is the first letter in the English alphabet. George Washington was the first president of the United States. Mercury is the first planet from the sun.
• Used in a sentence: I bought my first car when I was eighteen. 

First is used in this same sense as an adverb to describe something happening before all others in time or coming before all others in rank.

• Used in a sentence: She answered the question first out of all of the students. 

First is also used in this sense as a noun to refer to something that is before all others of its kind.

• Used in a sentence: I was the first to make it to the movie theater.

In a similar sense, first is used as an adverb to mean something happens for the first time.

• Used in a sentence: I first went to Tokyo when I was eight years old. 

First is also used as an adverb to mean something happens before something else.

• Used in a sentence: Before you borrow your sister’s bike, make sure to ask her first. 

Other Word Forms

• firstness adjective

Etymology

Origin of first

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English fyr(e)st; cognate with German Fürst “prince”; fore ¹, -est ¹

Explanation

First is number one, prior to, or before. First comes first, then comes everything else. It's always good to be first in line or in first class. Who wants to be second? Or worse — last? Whether it’s a noun, adjective, or adverb, you’ll find first at the beginning and opposite from last. And whether you’ve won first place or have just become the First Lady, first usually indicates a good thing — unless of course you're first to be fired. That doesn’t answer the Abbott and Costello question “Who's on first?” though.

Example Sentences

Cheeks also acknowledged that, for the first time in 18 years, CBS would not end the television season in first place in viewers.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

The way the market works, generators bid to supply power in half-hour blocks, with the cheapest bid accepted first.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

The index on Wednesday tallied its first intraday and closing record highs since the start of the Iran conflict.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Rather, it points to the same conclusion that held for almost the first hundred years of the nation—that the federal government may raise an army, but it may not force anyone to serve in it.

From Slate • Apr. 15, 2026

And their first rule was that they wanted quiet.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Related Words

• initially
• originally