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

Now a first-year resident, Whitaker has two medical students at his side, Joy Kwon (Irene Choi) and James Ogilvie (Lucas Iverson). —Ashley Boucher, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Dec. 2025

Can the new-look Jets and first-year head coach Aaron Glenn earn his first victory against the Dolphins? —Miami Herald, 7 Dec. 2025

Led by first-year head coach Jake Dickert, quarterback Robby Ashford threw for 2,169 yards, nine touchdowns and seven interceptions during the regular season. —Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 7 Dec. 2025

In fact, the 23-year-old QB is one of the more popular players in the NFL — not just among rookies (Sanders led all first-year players in jersey sales this season). —Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2025

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