first-person

1 of 2

adjective

first-per·​son ˈfərs(t)-ˈpər-sᵊn 

variants or less commonly first person

1

: of, relating to, or occurring in the first person

a first-person narrative

a first-person verb form

2

: experienced as if through the eyes of an avatar (as in a video game)

As 3-D first-person games evolved, … visual verisimilitude improved …

—Ian Bogost

When playing as the lead guitarist in first person mode players will see fans react to how they play.

—Sean Michael

see also first-person shooter

first person

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: a set of linguistic forms (such as verb forms, pronouns, and inflectional affixes) referring to the speaker or writer of the utterance in which they occur

b

: a linguistic form belonging to such a set

c

: reference of a linguistic form to the speaker or writer of the utterance in which it occurs

2

: a style of discourse marked by general use of verbs and pronouns of the first person

Examples of first-person in a Sentence

Noun

She always wrote in the first person.

The sentence “I was born in Maine” is written in the first person.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

If the original was first-person, try third. —Jd Barker, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2026

The cartoonish, Sims-looking game places you in the first-person perspective of a video store manager who makes sure shelves are promptly and properly stocked with new releases, helps customers find movies, and keeps track of inventory. —Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 19 Mar. 2026

Massively outgunned at the start of the war, Kyiv's forces used off-the-shelf first-person view (FPV) drones, which use cameras to home in on targets and drop simple munitions on Russian tanks and armored vehicles — with stunning success. —Scott Neuman, NPR, 18 Mar. 2026

In many wars, citizens are able to supplement official reporting with first-person accounts posted on social media and widely shared, Rahimi said. —ABC News, 17 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1751, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

first person

noun

1

: a set of words or forms (as pronouns or verb forms) referring to the person speaking or writing them

2

: a writing style making use of pronouns and verbs of the first person

first person narration