first law
noun
: the most important principle
He teaches his students that balance is the first law of architecture.
Examples of first law in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
France also played a leading role in drafting the EU’s AI Act, which is the first law regulating artificial intelligence.
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Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 9 Oct. 2024
The first law tells us that the total amount of energy in the world remains constant.
—Quanta Magazine, 12 Sep. 2024
In December 2019, five months after Dawkins’ second conviction, California enacted the nation’s first law establishing the rights of college athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 3 Oct. 2024
The Northwest Ordinance, enacted in 1789 as one of the nation’s first laws, demonstrates the founding generation’s commitment to a distribution of property and education radically greater than had been achieved even at the height of the English revolutions a century earlier.
—Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 20 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for first law 
Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 9 Oct. 2024
The first law tells us that the total amount of energy in the world remains constant.
—Quanta Magazine, 12 Sep. 2024
In December 2019, five months after Dawkins’ second conviction, California enacted the nation’s first law establishing the rights of college athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 3 Oct. 2024
The Northwest Ordinance, enacted in 1789 as one of the nation’s first laws, demonstrates the founding generation’s commitment to a distribution of property and education radically greater than had been achieved even at the height of the English revolutions a century earlier.
—Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 20 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for first law
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'first law.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near first law
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“First law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/first%20law. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
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