freshman

noun

fresh·​man ˈfresh-mən 

often attributive

1

: a student in the first year of high school or college

2

: beginner, newcomer

especially : a person who is starting a job or activity

freshman lawmakers

Synonyms of freshman

• novice
• rookie
• newcomer
• beginner
• apprentice

Examples of freshman in a Sentence

My daughter's a freshman at UCLA.

He was the best freshman in professional basketball this year.

Recent Examples on the Web

The former Washington Huskies star suffered ACL setbacks during his freshman year with the Indiana Hoosiers in 2018 and once again during the 2020 season. —Dj Siddiqi, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026

Highlanders freshman guard Aaron Wilson scored 15 points. —Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 28 Jan. 2026

The couple, both members of the Muslim Student Association at Indiana University, met during Raza’s freshman year and married in the summer of 2022. —Wendy Grossman Kantor, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026

At one point in the season, Pitt was 7-2 and won their first five games with true freshman Mason Heintschel at quarterback, who took over for Eli Holstein after back-to-back losses early in the year against West Virginia and Louisville. —Mike Darnay, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1557, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing freshman

• freshman orientation
• pre-freshman

Rhymes for freshman

• freshmen

Kids Definition

freshman

noun

fresh·​man ˈfresh-mən 

1

: beginner, newcomer

2

: a student in the first year (as of high school or college)