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

Rookie infielder Pedro Ramírez and two first-year members of the Cubs staff, major-league video and technology coordinator Brad Moylan and major-league physical therapist Jozef Palasiewicz, all dressed up as jockeys. — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026

And when Kiffin's image appeared live on a big screen for an interview on ESPN, the first-year LSU coach was booed heartily. — ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026

But others say the outcome could be a steep drop in regional workers as first-year backpackers decide that attempting to stay longer isn’t worth it. — Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026

Skip Schumaker’s history with late-season runs The first-year Rangers manager is deprecating about his playing career as mostly a utility player, which lasted from 2005 to 2015 and covered tenures with the Cardinals, Dodgers and Reds. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Sep. 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