What does firstly mean?
Firstly is a formal adverb used to signal the opening item in a sequence of points, reasons, or arguments, typically followed by 'secondly', 'thirdly', and so on. For example: 'Firstly, we must confirm the budget; secondly, we must agree on a timeline.' The word carries a distinctly formal, organized tone, making it at home in essays, presentations, debates, and official correspondence, but less natural in everyday speech, where 'first' or 'first of all' predominates. Its use is occasionally contested: many usage guides argue that 'first' does the job equally well and that 'firstly' is an unnecessary elaboration, a debate that has run since the eighteenth century. Nevertheless, 'firstly' remains firmly established, particularly in British English and in structured argumentative writing. It functions purely as a discourse marker, helping readers and listeners follow the architecture of an argument step by step.
adverbFirstly introduces the first in a series of points, reasons, or items, most often in formal speech or writing; it is typically followed later by 'secondly' or 'second'.
- Used to introduce the first point, reason, or item in an ordered series, usually paired with 'secondly' or 'thirdly'.
"The scheme has two drawbacks: firstly, it is expensive, and secondly, it is unpopular."
"Firstly, I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the project."
"There are several reasons to decline the offer: firstly, the salary is below market rate."
Style guides have argued over 'firstly' for two centuries — many insist plain 'first' is better, yet 'firstly' stubbornly refuses to die.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of firstly
Firstly was formed in English by adding the adverbial suffix '-ly' to 'first', an ancient ordinal that descends from Old English 'fyrst' (or 'formest'), a superlative related to 'fore' meaning 'beforehand' or 'in front'. The compound arose in early modern English, around the sixteenth century, as writers sought explicit markers for enumerated arguments. It shares its Germanic root with cognates such as 'foremost', 'former', and 'fore', all pointing backward to the Old English idea of precedence in place or time.
How firstly is actually used
Firstly belongs chiefly to formal registers — speeches, academic prose, business reports. Many style guides prefer 'first', arguing that 'firstly' is redundant since ordinals are already sequential, and some consider it slightly stilted. It is rarely heard in casual conversation, where speakers favor 'first', 'first off', or 'to start with'. When used, it conventionally pairs with 'secondly' rather than 'second' for consistency.
Easily confused with firstly
'First' can serve as both an adjective/adverb in almost any position, while 'firstly' is exclusively a sentence-linking adverb used to open an enumeration.