first-class

1 of 2

adjective

ˈfərs(t)-ˈklas 

1

: of or relating to first class

2

: of the highest quality

a first-class meal

first-class adverb

first class

2 of 2

noun

: the first or highest group in a classification: such as

a

: the highest class of travel accommodations

b

: a class of mail that comprises letters, postcards, or matter sealed against inspection

Synonyms of first-class

Adjective

• excellent
• superb
• wonderful
• terrific
• great
• lovely
• beautiful
• fantastic
• awesome
• fabulous
• stellar
• prime
• marvelous
• fine
• quality

Examples of first-class in a Sentence

Adjective

a first-class production of a classic American musical

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Named after African American heroes of baseball, these first-class baseball fields could inspire kids to stay with the sport and make it to the majors — America’s new version of a field of dreams. —Bob Kustra, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2026

By treating acknowledgment and escalation as first-class reliability metrics, teams can move beyond heroic firefighting and toward measurable resilience. —Judit Sharon, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026

Noun

That includes first class or business class, but also the premium seats in the middle of the plane that offer slightly more legroom, priority boarding and less time to exit the plane upon landing. —Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 30 May 2026

His initiatives include everything from testing out a plane with 44 first class seats on domestic flights, almost double the average, to landing more partnerships with other consumer brands. —Phil Wahba, Fortune, 30 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1819, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1616, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for first-class

• alas
• amass
• bromegrass
• bypass
• crabgrass
• crevasse
• eelgrass
• eyeglass
• groundmass
• harass
• impasse
• jackass

Kids Definition

first-class

1 of 2 adjective

1

: of or relating to first class

2

: of the highest quality : excellent

a first-class meal

first class

2 of 2 noun

: the best or highest group in a classification