What does first mean?
"First" denotes whatever comes before all others, whether in time, sequence, or significance. As an adjective it describes the earliest or most important item in a set — the first day of spring, the first prize. As an adverb it signals priority of action, as in finishing your work first. As a noun it names the leading position itself, as in taking first in a race, or marks an unprecedented achievement, as when a discovery is called a scientific first. The word carries strong connotations of precedence and distinction: being first often implies excellence or pioneering spirit, though it can simply mark chronological order without any evaluative weight. It appears in countless fixed expressions, including "at first," "first and foremost," and "first of all," and derives from Old English forms meaning foremost, tying it etymologically to "before" and "foremost."
Coming before all others in time, order, or importance; earliest or foremost.
"Her first novel won immediate critical acclaim."
Often used with ordinals and dates; no comparative form exists because the word is already superlative in origin.
Before anything or anyone else in time, order, or preference.
"Let me finish this email first, then we can talk."
The person or thing that comes before all others; also, something done or achieved for the first time.
"Landing on the moon was a historic first for humanity."
In British English, "a first" also refers to a first-class honours university degree.
"First" isn't its own word at heart — it began as the superlative of "fore," making it grammatically a cousin of words like "before" and "foremost."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of first
"First" descends from the Old English "fyrst" or "fyrest," the superlative form of "fore," meaning before in place or time. It shares this Germanic root with related forms such as "former," "foremost," and "before," and is cognate with the Old Norse "fyrstr." The spelling stabilized in Middle English, and the word has remained remarkably stable in both form and sense since early medieval times.
Related word forms
How first is actually used
"First" functions as adjective, adverb, and noun with no change in form, which can cause ambiguity — "her first" may mean her initial attempt or her top choice depending on context. In formal sequencing, "firstly" is sometimes preferred over "first" when followed by "secondly," though style guides widely accept "first, second" as cleaner. In British English, "a first" is standard shorthand for a first-class honours degree.
Easily confused with first
"First" means coming before all others, while "fast" means quick or firmly fixed — they share Germanic roots but have entirely different meanings.