first-year

noun

ˈfərst-ˌyir 

variants or first year

plural first-years or first years

: a student in the first year (as at a high school or college) : a first-year student

Experts say fledgling first-years can expect to experience the thrill of autonomy, of being in the driver's seat for what may be the first time ever.

—Jan McCoy Ebbets

Examples of first-year in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Yes, and people often don’t understand that for a lot of first-year students, who are generally under 21 but still wanting to drink, figuring out how to get alcohol, where the parties are, where the fun is going to be, is a challenge for them. — Rachel Cohen Booth, Vox, 23 Oct. 2026

The agreement’s first-year results suggest that giving workers a formal role in identifying, investigating and addressing harassment can produce measurable disciplinary action. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026

Entering his fourth season with Charlotte, the forward who played one season of college basketball at Alabama is still younger than many of the first-year banking analysts that swarm South End. — Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026

Elliott’s move to Nashville made for a reunion with Titans first-year coach Saleh, who was the 49ers’ defensive coordinator last season. — David K. Li, NBC news, 21 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1986, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for first-year

• atmosphere
• biosphere
• centromere
• chemosphere
• chromosphere
• hemisphere
• hydrosphere
• lithosphere
• mesosphere
• microsphere
• miserere
• mountaineer