first day: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1 (Intermediate)Neutral to Informal
Quick answer
What does “first day” mean?
The initial day of a specific period, sequence, or event.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The initial day of a specific period, sequence, or event; the inaugural day of a job, school term, holiday, or experience.
A time or experience marked by new beginnings, introductions, initial impressions, and often a mix of excitement, nervousness, or novelty. Can also refer metaphorically to the start of a new phase in life.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal lexical or semantic differences. Both varieties use it identically for contexts like school, work, or holidays. UK English may be slightly more likely to use "first day back" for returning to school/work after a break.
Connotations
Connotations are identical: new beginnings, anticipation, sometimes anxiety. In business, "first day" has strong procedural/orientation connotations.
Frequency
Equally frequent and common in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “first day” in a Sentence
[possessive] first day of [noun]on the first day[adjective] first dayVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “first day” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- I'll first-day my new trainers at the office tomorrow.
- She's planning to first-day the project next week.
American English
- He first-dayed the new software rollout yesterday.
- Let's not first-day this policy without proper training.
adverb
British English
- She arrived first-day early to make a good impression.
- He felt first-day nervous.
American English
- Come in first-day ready to learn.
- They were acting first-day excited.
adjective
British English
- The first-day induction was very thorough.
- He had that typical first-day apprehension.
American English
- She brought first-day doughnuts for the whole team.
- We covered all the first-day paperwork.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to employee onboarding, orientation, and the start date of employment or a project.
Academic
Refers to the start of a school/uni term, semester, or course; often involves introductions and syllabus review.
Everyday
Commonly used for personal experiences: first day at a new school, job, or on holiday/vacation.
Technical
In project management, marks the kick-off date. In software, can refer to a release or go-live date.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “first day”
- Incorrect preposition: 'in the first day' instead of 'on the first day'.
- Omitting necessary context: 'I was nervous on first day' instead of 'on *my* first day'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The correct preposition is almost always 'on' (e.g., on the first day of school). 'In' is used for longer, more general periods like 'in the first week'.
Yes, but it usually requires a determiner. 'The first day' is common when the context is clear (e.g., 'The first day is always the hardest'). Using it without any determiner ('I saw him first day') is non-standard and rare.
They are often synonymous, but 'day one' can sound more technical or emphatic (common in business/projects: 'from day one'). 'First day' is slightly more common for personal, experiential contexts (first day of school).
Yes, it specifically refers to the first day of returning to a regular routine (e.g., school, work) after a break or holiday, implying a resumption rather than a brand-new start.
The initial day of a specific period, sequence, or event.
First day is usually neutral to informal in register.
First day: in British English it is pronounced /fɜːst deɪ/, and in American English it is pronounced /fɝːst deɪ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “like a first-day rookie”
- “first-day nerves”
- “from the first day”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine the word "FIRST" as a big number 1, and "DAY" as a sun rising. The sun rising on the number 1 symbolizes the very first sunrise of a new experience.
Conceptual Metaphor
A NEW JOURNEY IS A FIRST DAY (e.g., 'Embarking on a new career path'), A BLANK SLATE IS A FIRST DAY (e.g., 'It's a chance to start fresh').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'first day' LEAST commonly used?