freshman
Americannoun
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a student in the first year of the course at a university, college, or high school.
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a novice; beginner.
adjective
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of, relating to, or characteristic of a freshman.
to outgrow one's freshman attitudes.
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lacking seniority or experience; junior.
a freshman senator.
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required of or suitable for freshmen.
freshman courses.
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initial; first.
This is my freshman year with the company.
Gender
See -man.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of freshman
Explanation
A freshman is a student in her first year of high school or college. Being a college freshman can be a little overwhelming — it's a huge change in most people's lives. Sometimes a freshman is called a "first-year student," a term that isn't so gender-specific. However, you can also use the word freshman for a a boy or a girl. Sometimes, rather than school, a freshman is new at something else: in the US Senate, first-timers are frequently called "freshman senators." The word combines the "inexperienced" sense of fresh with man, or "person."
Vocabulary lists containing freshman
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.
“Feel like I’m a freshman again — drinking from a fire hydrant,” he said, adding that he knows and is comfortable with high expectations.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 22, 2026
He joined a freshman leadership organization and is helping with orientation camp.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026
In written testimony, Glynn shared his experience hearing about young women performing illegal abortions when he was a freshman at the University of South Dakota in 1966.
From Salon • Jun. 8, 2026
University of Southern California freshman tight end Mark Bowman looked like a million bucks at the Mater Dei High prom in Anaheim in May in a crisp blue suit, Gucci loafers and a Lamborghini Huracan.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026
My favorite bit of overheard gossip came from a freshman kid outside the science lab: “I heard he’s, like, a prince from Dubai or something.”
From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan
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.
