first-year

noun

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Campus housing isn’t required, but first-year and transfer students who ask for it are guaranteed a spot for their first two years. Hanna Kang, Oc Register, 16 Sep. 2025 The Chicago Bears were hoping to get their first win under first-year head coach Ben Johnson in Week 2 against the Detroit Lions. Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025 Ouachita, which was upset in its season opener at East Central Oklahoma, is back home again this Saturday against a 2-0 Arkansas Tech team under the direction of first-year head coach Roy Thompson. Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2025 Vrabel also contested some of the flags thrown by first-year referee Alex Kemp’s crew. Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 15 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for first-year

Word History

First Known Use

1986, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of first-year was in 1986

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Cite this Entry

“First-year.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/first-year. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

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