adj
first
furst
adj
1
Coming before all others in order, rank, or time.
"She was the first person to arrive at the office."
"This is his first novel."
adv
1
Before anything else; ahead of other things.
"First, preheat the oven to 200 degrees."
noun
1
Something that has never happened before.
"Winning the championship was a first for the club."
2
The lowest gear of a vehicle.
"He shifted into first as the light turned green."
How to Use First
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishComing before everything else, in order or in time.
Common pairings
first place
at first
first time
Word Forms
firsted past tense, firsts plural, firsts plural, firsts singular, firstmost superlative
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Etymology
From Old English fyrest, related to German Fürst ("prince," literally "first-born"), from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "before."