first
A1Neutral (Used across all registers from casual to formal)
Definition
Meaning
coming before all others in time, order, or importance.
Denoting the initial occurrence, the foremost position, or the highest priority. Also used as an ordinal number, adverb, and noun to mean 'first person', 'first gear', or 'first place'.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
"First" is polysemous, functioning primarily as an ordinal number (first, second, third...) but with strong adjectival, adverbial, and nominal uses. Its core sense of primacy extends metaphorically to concepts of importance, quality, and innovation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor spelling differences in derivatives ('first-floor' BrE vs 'first-floor' AmE can refer to different levels). In dates, BrE often uses '1st January' while AmE prefers 'January 1st' or 'January first'.
Connotations
Largely identical. In academic contexts, 'first' (as in 'first-class degree') carries specific prestige in the UK university system.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[the] first + to + INFINITIVE (He was the first to arrive)[the] first + NOUN + RELATIVE CLAUSE (This is the first book I've read by her)[the] first + of + NOUN (the first of many)[at] first + (when clause) (At first, I didn't understand)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “First things first”
- “In the first place”
- “First off”
- “First come, first served”
- “First and foremost”
- “From the first”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to priority, market leadership ('first-mover advantage'), or initial phase ('first quarter results').
Academic
Used in sequencing arguments ('firstly'), referencing sources ('First et al., 2020'), or denoting top achievement ('first-class honours').
Everyday
Common for ordering events, describing initial experiences, or expressing priority ('I need to finish this first').
Technical
In computing: 'first-in, first-out' (FIFO); in music: 'first violin'; in sports: 'first base'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The company will first the new model at the London expo.
American English
- The pitcher firsted the runner at second base.
adverb
British English
- First, let me introduce our guest speaker.
American English
- I need to finish my homework first.
adjective
British English
- She got a first-class degree from Cambridge.
American English
- He won first prize in the state science fair.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- This is my first time in an airplane.
- My first name is Anna.
- First, you add the flour.
- At first, I found the job difficult, but now I enjoy it.
- He was the first person to cross the finish line.
- Make sure you save your document first.
- The company's first-quarter profits exceeded all expectations.
- She argued, firstly, that the data was flawed, and secondly, that the methodology was unsound.
- His first instinct was to refuse the offer.
- The treatise represents the first systematic attempt to deconstruct the myth.
- Being first to market conferred a significant competitive advantage.
- He prioritised the ethical implications first and foremost.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'FIRST' as having 'FIR' (a type of tree) which grows tall and comes BEFORE others in the forest.
Conceptual Metaphor
IMPORTANT/GOOD IS FIRST (e.g., 'first-rate', 'first-class'), TIME IS LINEAR SEQUENCE (e.g., 'first, then, finally').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'at first' when you mean 'at the beginning' in a general sense (use 'initially' or 'in the beginning').
- Do not confuse 'first name' with 'имя'—it's specifically the given name, not the full personal name.
- The phrase 'the first thing' often indicates immediate priority, not just chronology.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'firstly' in very formal American English (some prefer 'first').
- Incorrect: '*I saw him the first time in London.' Correct: 'I saw him for the first time in London.' or 'The first time I saw him was in London.'
- Overusing 'at first' as a direct translation for 'сначала' where 'first' or 'firstly' is needed.
Practice
Quiz
Which phrase is CORRECT?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Both are correct. 'Firstly' is standard, especially in formal writing when listing points (firstly, secondly...). Some style guides, particularly in American English, recommend 'first' for simplicity, but 'firstly' is not wrong.
'At first' refers to the initial stage of a situation that later changed (e.g., 'At first I was scared, but then I relaxed'). 'Firstly' (or 'first') is used to introduce the first point in a list or sequence of arguments.
Yes. It can mean 'first place' (She finished in the first), 'first gear' in a car (Put it in first), or 'a first occurrence/achievement' (This is a first for our company).
It is considered a noun in this construction, acting as the head of the noun phrase 'the first', which is specified by the prepositional phrase 'of June'.
Collections
Part of a collection
Basic Adjectives
A1 · 46 words · Fundamental describing words used every day.