freshman

noun

fresh·​man ˈfresh-mən How to pronounce freshman (audio)
often attributive
1
: a student in the first year of high school or college
2
: beginner, newcomer
especially : a person who is starting a job or activity
freshman lawmakers

Examples of freshman in a Sentence

My daughter's a freshman at UCLA. He was the best freshman in professional basketball this year.
Recent Examples on the Web Reed Sheppard, Kentucky Castle isn’t the lone freshman who could be on the Hornets’ radar. Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 15 May 2024 Senior Jennifer Nevill and freshman MaKenzie Byler each had a single for the only other hits for the Lions, while St. Joseph cranked out 17 hits. Mike Waters, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for freshman 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'freshman.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1557, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of freshman was in 1557

Dictionary Entries Near freshman

Cite this Entry

“Freshman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/freshman. Accessed 18 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

freshman

noun
fresh·​man ˈfresh-mən How to pronounce freshman (audio)
1
2
: a student in the first year (as of high school or college)

More from Merriam-Webster on freshman

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!