first

adjective
UK: /fɜːst/
US: /fɝːst/

  1. Coming before all others in time or order.

    1. I was first in line today. [ ] [ ]
    2. The first time I saw her, I knew she was special in first sight. [ ] [ ]

  2. Most important or significant.

    1. My family comes first for me. [ ] [ ]
    2. First and foremost, we need to address the budget before making any decisions. [ ] [ ]

  3. Used to introduce the initial point in a series of things.

    1. First, we add the flour for the cake. [ ] [ ]
    2. First, I'd like to thank everyone for coming, your support means a lot. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

initial primary chief leading
first adverb

  1. Before anyone or anything else in time or sequence.

    1. I saw him first at school. [ ] [ ]
    2. She arrived first and secured the best seat at the place in cinema. [ ] [ ]

  2. Sooner than another person or thing; earlier.

    1. He knew first about the change. [ ] [ ]
    2. I heard about the company's restructuring plans first, before anyone else. [ ] [ ]
first noun

  1. The person or thing that is before all others in number or order.

    1. He was the first to arrive. [ ] [ ]
    2. The team played their first game this season with great enthusiasm. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "first" in English means: Coming before all others in time or order., Most important or significant., Used to introduce the initial point in a series of things..

The phonetic transcription of "first" is /fɜːst/ in British English and /fɝːst/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "first": initial, primary, chief, leading.

Example usage of "first": "I was first in line today.". More examples on the page.