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

Villa Park first-year coach Kennedy Cunningham gave an overview of her team’s rise to becoming champions. — David Delgado, Oc Register, 7 Nov. 2026

The victory also extends Bob Chesney’s historic run, securing the best start by a first-year coach and tying the program’s largest single-season turnaround with a six-win improvement. — Grace Praxmarer, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2026

Madison Jessen, another first-year Weill Cornell Medicine physician assistant student, said the uncertainty around loan caps prompted her to use most of her savings to pay for her first semester out of pocket. — Heather Hollingsworth, Chicago Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026

The Gators moved to 2-0 under first-year coach Tammi Reiss behind McMiller’s career night. — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Nov. 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