First World

American

noun

the major industrialized non-Communist nations, including those in Western Europe, the United States, Canada, and Japan.

Etymology

Origin of First World

First recorded in 1970–75

Compare meaning

How does first-world compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

First World vs. Third World

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.

Related: I have a ‘mundane’ First World problem: Should I buy a $30,000 bracelet during a global pandemic?

From MarketWatch • Apr. 17, 2026

The region once belonged to the Austro-Hungarian Empire but was ceded to Italy as part of a First World War settlement.

From Barron's • Feb. 2, 2026

As the poet William Butler Yeats observed after the end of the First World War, the center is not holding, while the best lack all conviction.

From Salon • Nov. 10, 2025

"It was a bit like the First World War when they played football on Christmas Day."

From BBC • Oct. 9, 2025

Nali had mentioned that in the First World, some of the beings, such as First Man and First Woman, had different forms than they did today.

From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023