SINCE 1828

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

First Reader

noun

Definition of First Reader

: a Christian Scientist chosen to conduct meetings for a specified time and specifically to read aloud from the writings of Mary Baker Eddy

1895

First Known Use of first reader

1895

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up First Reader? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

WORD OF THE DAY

skosh

play

a small amount

Words at Play

alt-59270ec8a7c80

A New Dictionary for a New President

JFK and Webster's Third

alt-5926e94cc0e45

'Climate' Change

No denying this word's history

alt-5925b73b3a62e

'Author' is a Verb

Beyond the mere act of writing

alt-592708149cf54

Don't Catch 'Flack' for Using 'Flak'

How a word for antiaircraft guns came to refer to PR pro

Ask the Editors

Is it wrong to use 'decimate' to mean 'destroy'?

Language changes

The Serial Comma

Why don't they call it the Merriam-Webster comma?

video-irregardless-grammar-peeve-blend-of-the-synonyms-irrespective-and-regardless

Irregardless

It is in fact a real word (but that doesn't mean you should use it).

video-moose-goose-weird-plurals

Weird Plurals

One goose, two geese. One moose, two... moose. What's up with that?

Word Games

Winning Words from Scripps Spelling Bee Quiz

Can you outdo past winners of the Spelling Bee?

Take the quiz

peter-bruegel-tower-of-babel-painting

Where in the World? A Quiz

Do you know what languages these words come from?

Take the quiz

Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

Take the quiz

Bee Cubed

Listen to the words and spell through all three levels.

Play the game