first-person

1 of 2

adjective

first-per·​son ˈfərs(t)-ˈpər-sᵊn 

variants or less commonly first person

1

: of, relating to, or occurring in the first person

a first-person narrative

a first-person verb form

2

: experienced as if through the eyes of an avatar (as in a video game)

As 3-D first-person games evolved, … visual verisimilitude improved …

—Ian Bogost

When playing as the lead guitarist in first person mode players will see fans react to how they play.

—Sean Michael

see also first-person shooter

first person

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: a set of linguistic forms (such as verb forms, pronouns, and inflectional affixes) referring to the speaker or writer of the utterance in which they occur

b

: a linguistic form belonging to such a set

c

: reference of a linguistic form to the speaker or writer of the utterance in which it occurs

2

: a style of discourse marked by general use of verbs and pronouns of the first person

Examples of first-person in a Sentence

Noun

She always wrote in the first person.

The sentence “I was born in Maine” is written in the first person.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

On the page, Hig’s first-person descriptions of his everyday adventures, and of the waning natural world around him, had an honest, melancholy soul to them. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026

Through first-person testimonies and family photos from California communities, the show confronts family separations, civil-liberties violations and the long shadow of deportation campaigns on Mexican American life. — Isa Farfan, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026

The $31 billion spending program Taipei unveiled is one of a number of efforts to respond, such as expanding live-fire exercises to include the use of first-person view drones and simulating a maritime blockade. — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 21 Aug. 2026

At the core of the book is a dialogue between the first-person narrator, Thomas More, and the seafaring philosopher Raphael Hythlodaeus. — Carline Tromp, The Dial, 18 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1751, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

first person

noun

1

: a set of words or forms (as pronouns or verb forms) referring to the person speaking or writing them

2

: a writing style making use of pronouns and verbs of the first person

first person narration