firsthand

or first-hand

[ furst-hand ]

/ ˈfɜrstˈhænd /

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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR firsthand ON THESAURUS.COM

adverb

from the first or original source: We heard the news of the accident firsthand from a witness.

adjective

of or relating to the first or original source.

direct from the original source: firsthand knowledge of the riot.

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RELATED WORDS

eyewitness, immediate, primary, straight

Nearby words

first-termer, first-time, first-timer, firstborn, firstcomer, firsthand, firstling, firstly, firstnighter, firsts, firth

Origin of firsthand

First recorded in 1690–1700; first + hand

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for firsthand

Documents and firsthand accounts of Clausewitz at war by others are few and far between.
How Clausewitz Invented Modern War|James A. Warren|November 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I saw personally, firsthand, what drug use and drug abuse is doing to an underprivileged population.
Can Congress Get Stoned Now That D.C. Has Legalized Marijuana?|Abby Haglage|November 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Firsthand accounts from Sinjar paint a picture of withdrawal without a fight and without warning the local population.
How the U.S.-favored Kurds Abandoned the Yazidis when ISIS Attacked|Christine van den Toorn|August 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
More than a few joined after witnessing 9/11, and some had even experienced it firsthand in Manhattan or DC.
Bergdahl’s Bitter Homecoming: The Psychological Cost of War|Jean Kim|July 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST

From firsthand experience, I know exactly what Justice Thomas is describing.
Justice Thomas Is Right About America’s Obsession With Race|Ron Christie|February 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Now, from her new employer, she was to learn at firsthand how people in the world of fashion comported themselves.
Superwomen|Albert Payson Terhune
I hope the new Soviet leaders can visit America so they can learn about our country at firsthand.
Complete State of the Union Addresses from 1790 to 2006|Various
His tactics so closely resemble mine that I suspect he learned them from me at firsthand.
The Gray Phantom|Herman Landon
During this period he mastered the use of surveying instruments and made a firsthand study of tides in the region.
Early American Scientific Instruments and Their Makers|Silvio A. Bedini
He spoke from firsthand knowledge of the horrors committed by the Tartars.
The Saracen: The Holy War|Robert Shea