firstborn

[ furst-bawrn ]

/ ˈfɜrstˈbɔrn /

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See synonyms for: firstborns on Thesaurus.com

adjective

first in the order of birth; eldest.

noun

a firstborn child.

a first result or product.

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Origin of firstborn

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; see origin at first, born

Words nearby firstborn

first and last, first base, first baseman, first blood, first blush, firstborn, First Cause, first-cause argument, first class, first classman, first-come

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use firstborn in a sentence

Through no fault of his own, he’d missed out on the enviable position of firstborn.
Does Birth Order Really Determine Personality? Here's What the Research Says|Lynn Berger|April 13, 2021|Time
For example, he quotes a study that found firstborns to be “more likely to be serious, sensitive,” “conscientious,” and “good” and—this is my favorite—“fond of books.”
Does Birth Order Really Determine Personality? Here's What the Research Says|Lynn Berger|April 13, 2021|Time
Among Portuguese nobility in the 15th and 16th centuries, for example, second- and later-born sons were sent to the front as soldiers more often than firstborn sons.
Does Birth Order Really Determine Personality? Here's What the Research Says|Lynn Berger|April 13, 2021|Time
Later on, these firstborns can become “shy, even fearful,” or they become “self-reliant, independent.”
Does Birth Order Really Determine Personality? Here's What the Research Says|Lynn Berger|April 13, 2021|Time

Even a younger sibling in a multilingual family may experience language differently from a firstborn or an only child.
Learning a second language early might have ripple effects throughout your life|Rahul Rao|February 9, 2021|Popular-Science
The christening of their firstborn Wednesday is a chance for William and Kate to honor and reward their most loyal buddies.
Prince George’s Christening Will Reveal Kate and Will’s Closest, Most Loyal Pals|Tom Sykes|October 22, 2013|DAILY BEAST
“Omertà,” concedes the not-firstborn son Michael writing the book.
Michael Hainey and Aleksandar Hemon’s Chicago Dreams|Chris Wallace|March 3, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The throne should go to the firstborn child, male or female.
The Real Reason Why Kate Isn't Pregnant Yet?|Robert Lacey|May 17, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Foer began writing Eating Animals when his wife, the novelist Nicole Krauss, was expecting their firstborn son.
Foer's Call to Arms|Jane Ciabattari|November 1, 2009|DAILY BEAST
DeMille showed three plagues—turning the Nile into blood, hail, and killing the firstborn sons.
It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's Moses!|Bruce Feiler|October 5, 2009|DAILY BEAST
Have mercy on thy people, upon whom thy name is invoked: and upon Israel, whom thou hast raised up to be thy firstborn.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
There was in his face the combined look of a man who sees the cradle and the coffin of his firstborn.
The Master-Knot of Human Fate|Ellis Meredith
When the father returned home, a near relative presented him with his firstborn son.
Some Jewish Witnesses For Christ|Rev. A. Bernstein, B.D.
The first intimation of this was given on that awful occasion when the firstborn of the Egyptians was slain.
The Expositor's Bible: The Book of Joshua|William Garden Blaikie
The mothers passion for her firstborn son was devotedly returned by him.
Keats|Sidney Colvin

British Dictionary definitions for firstborn

first-born

adjective

eldest of the children in a family

noun

the eldest child in a family

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012