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first-generation

American  
[furst-jen-uh-rey-shuhn] / ˈfɜrstˌdʒɛn əˈreɪ ʃən /

adjective

  1. being the first generation of a family to be born in a particular country.

  2. being a naturalized citizen of a particular country; immigrant.

    the child of first-generation Americans.


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Five of the six singles skaters — Alysa Liu, Isabeau Levito, Ilia Malinin, Maxim Naumov and Andrew Torgashev — are first-generation Americans while the other, women’s national champion Amber Glenn, identifies as pansexual.

From Los Angeles Times

“From my personal experience as a first-generation, low-income college student, I know that navigating financial aid can feel overwhelming,” DiFonzo said.

From MarketWatch

A first-generation Norwegian American, Lars Kristiansen looked like a real-life Paul Bunyan, complete with blue jeans, a red plaid shirt, and a bushy brown beard.

From Literature

After a long career at an energy company, he approached retirement with intention—planning ahead, joining a group of retirees who met for lunch, mentoring first-generation college students and cultivating places where he felt valued and useful.

From The Wall Street Journal

Vincent was a first-generation Indian immigrant and dot-com whiz kid.

From Slate