FIRST
What does "FIRST" mean?
Coming before all others in order, time, rank, or importance.
Meanings
- Earliest in time or order; preceding all the rest. She was the first person to sign the petition.
- Before anything else; in the first place. First, we need to check whether the door is even locked.
- A person or thing that comes before all others, or an initial achievement. Landing the contract was a first for the young firm.
Did you know?
- The German title 'Fürst' ('prince') and the English word 'first' grow from the same ancient root - a prince was simply 'the foremost one' of his people.
Word origin
From Old English 'fyrst' ('foremost'), a superlative of the root that also gives 'fore'; related to Old Norse 'fyrstr' and German 'Fürst' ('prince', literally 'the foremost one').
Remember it
FIRST hides 'FIR' - picture the tallest fir tree, standing first above the forest.
A little poem
Before the clapping starts, before the rest,
one foot crosses one line and earns the test-
and learns the loneliest seat is sometimes best.
tercet
Wordplay
- I told my friend I'd finish first in the race. Technically true - I finished, first.
What it teaches
Being first proves you were early, not that you were right - the order of arrival is not the order of merit.
Quick facts
What does FIRST mean?
Coming before all others in order, time, rank, or importance.
Is FIRST a valid word?
Yes — FIRST is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.
How many letters is FIRST?
FIRST has 5 letters and 1 syllable.
Where does FIRST come from?
From Old English 'fyrst' ('foremost'), a superlative of the root that also gives 'fore'; related to Old Norse 'fyrstr' and German 'Fürst' ('prince', literally 'the foremost one').
What can FIRST teach us?
Being first proves you were early, not that you were right - the order of arrival is not the order of merit.
How players do
Be the first to solve it.