number one
Americannoun
-
number ones
plural
-
oneself, especially one's own well-being or interests.
to look out for number one.
-
a person, company, etc., that is first in rank, order, or prestige.
Our team is number one.
-
urination: used especially by or with reference to children.
adjective
-
of the highest in quality, status, importance, etc.; first-rate.
a number one performance.
-
first in rank, order, or prestige.
the number one book on the bestseller list.
idioms
noun
-
the first in a series or sequence
-
an informal phrase for oneself myself
to look after number one
-
informal the most important person; leader, chief
he's number one in the organization
-
informal the bestselling pop record in any one week
-
euphemistic the act or an instance of urination
-
a haircut in which the hair is cut very close to the head with an electric shaver
adjective
-
first in importance, urgency, quality, etc
number one priority
-
informal (of a pop record) having reached the top of the charts
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of number one
First recorded in 1830–40
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.
Steiner is perplexed about the attacks on the school: “I’m not sure the Bauhaus is the number one topic for the people of Dessau,” she adds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
“The number one goal is still to reach consensus,” Travnicek said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
World number one and defending champion Scheffler, who had also triumphed in Memphis on Sunday, suffered a run of four bogeys through the opening seven holes, finding himself far down the field.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
Several other celebrities, including Reese Witherspoon, Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson and Megan Thee Stallion have since gotten Frenchies; the breed has ranked number one in America for the last four years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
“We both know the team’s better when I’m the number one option on offense. Right, White Rabbit?”
From "Boy21" by Matthew Quick
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.
