first-generation
Americanadjective
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being the first generation of a family to be born in a particular country.
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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.
She is a first-generation college graduate who began her higher education journey at San Bernardino Valley College.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
The first-generation Doubao phone had been hobbled when major apps blocked unauthorised access.
From Barron's ● Jul. 19, 2026
"I play for Iraq, grew up in England, but my dad was born in Pakistan. My grandad was a first-generation there, so I have a lot of respect for that side of my family."
From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026
As a first-generation Mexican American with roots in Jalisco, Mexico, she is thrilled to join The Times’ Fast Break desk starting today, as she pursues a career in television and print journalism.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 26, 2026
They hadn’t, of course; Susie had gone off to Oregon right after graduation, but in the end Ed had indeed met and married a nice Chinese girl in college, a first-generation kid like him.
From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
