Firsts

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Initial occurrences or events marking the beginning of something new; pioneering achievements or milestones reached for the very first time; earliest examples or instances of a particular action or experience
2. Earliest experiences or moments representing the start of a sequence; groundbreaking accomplishments that happen before any others; foremost samples or trials of a specific event or activity
3. Original occasions or occasions that happen before all others, introducing something novel; leading instances that establish precedence in a field or context; primary episodes or trials that represent the inaugural occurrence of an event or action

Etymology: The plural "firsts" is the simple result of adding "-s" to "first," so the interesting history lies in the word itself. "First" comes from Old English "fyrest," the superlative of an adjective meaning "before," so its original sense is "foremost," the one that comes before all others in line. Its roots reach back to a Proto-Indo-European root for "before," which is also visible in Latin "princeps" ("chief, foremost") and Sanskrit "pūrva" ("before"). A separate, unrelated word, "first" in the sense of "a period of time," lies behind some of the word's older meanings. Old English "fyrst" meant "a space of time" or "respite," derived from a Proto-Germanic root for an appointed date. German "Frist" (deadline) and Swedish "frist" (time-limit) still preserve that older meaning. The plural "firsts" carries the sense of pioneering moments, a usage that developed from the basic idea of the foremost or earliest instance. Its meaning therefore rests on the Old English superlative that originally meant "before all others."

Synonyms: beginnings, initiations

Antonyms: lasts, finals