first

Question

English - Pronunciation

(UK) IPA^(key): /fɜːst/
(US) IPA^(key): /fɝst/
Rhymes: -ɜː(r)st

English - Etymology 1

From Middle English _first_, _furst_, _ferst_, _fyrst_, from Old English _fyrst_, _fyrest_ (“first, foremost, principal, chief, original”), from Proto-Germanic _*furistaz_ (“foremost, first”), superlative of Proto-Germanic _*fur_, _*fura_, _*furi_ (“before”), from Proto-Indo-European _*per-_, _*pero-_ (“forward, beyond, around”), equivalent to _fore_ +‎ _-est_. Cognate with North Frisian _foarste_ (“first”), Dutch _voorste_ (“foremost, first”), German _Fürst_ (“chief, prince”, literally “first (born)”), Swedish _första_ (“first”), Icelandic _fyrstur_ (“first”). ALTERNATIVE FORMS * firste (archaic) * fyrst (obsolete) * fyrste (obsolete) ADJECTIVE FIRST (_not comparable_) * Preceding all others of a series or kind; the ordinal of one; earliest. _The FIRST day of September 2013 was a Sunday. I was the FIRST runner to reach the finish line, and won the race._ * Most eminent or exalted; most excellent; chief; highest. * 1784: William Jones, _The Description and Use of a New Portable Orrery, &c._, PREFACE THE favourable reception the Orrery has met with from Perſons of the FIRST diſtinction, and from Gentlemen and Ladies in general, has induced me to add to it ſeveral new improvements in order to give it a degree of Perfection; and diſtinguiſh it from others; which by Piracy, or Imitation, may be introduced to the Public. _Demosthenes was the FIRST orator of Greece._ ALTERNATIVE FORMS * 1st; (in names of monarchs and popes) I TRANSLATIONS ADVERB FIRST (_not comparable_) * Before anything else; firstly. _Clean the sink FIRST, before you even think of starting to cook._ TRANSLATIONS NOUN FIRST (_countable and uncountable_, _plural_ FIRSTS) * (uncountable) The person or thing in the first position. _He was the FIRST to complete the course._ * 1699, William Temple, _Heads designed for an essay on conversations_ Study gives strength to the mind; conversation, grace: the FIRST apt to give stiffness, the other suppleness: one gives substance and form to the statue, the other polishes it. * (uncountable) The first gear of an engine. * (countable) Something that has never happened before; a new occurrence. _This is a FIRST. For once he has nothing to say._ * (countable, baseball) first base _There was a close play at FIRST._ * (countable, UK, colloquial) A first-class honours degree. * (countable, colloquial) A first-edition copy of some publication. * A fraction of an integer ending in one. _one forty-FIRST of the estate_ TRANSLATIONS DERIVED TERMS SEE ALSO * primary

From Middle English first, furst, ferst, fyrst, from Old English fyrst, fyrest (“first, foremost, principal, chief, original”), from Proto-Germanic *furistaz (“foremost, first”), superlative of Proto-Germanic *fur, *fura, *furi (“before”), from Proto-Indo-European *per-, *pero- (“forward, beyond, around”), equivalent to fore +‎ -est. Cognate with North Frisian foarste (“first”), Dutch voorste (“foremost, first”), German Fürst (“chief, prince”, literally “first (born)”), Swedish första (“first”), Icelandic fyrstur (“first”).