first base

noun

1

: the base that must be touched first by a base runner in baseball

2

: the player position for defending the area around first base

3

: the first step or stage in a course of action

plans never got to first base

first baseman

-ˈbā-smən 

noun

Examples of first base in a Sentence

a runner on first base

She hit a ground ball to first base.

He used to be a catcher, but now he plays first base.

Recent Examples on the Web

He has just been asked to play out of position quite a bit — a little shortstop but mostly at first base. —Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Mar. 2025

Both teams could be looking to add a star at first base. —Zach Pressnell, Newsweek, 12 Mar. 2025

Isaac Paredes could shift to first base, a position where Paredes has made 40 major-league starts and would’ve played last season had the Astros acquired him at the trade deadline. —Chandler Rome, The Athletic, 7 Mar. 2025

In fact, Earl Williams won a Rookie of the Year award after producing 33 home runs and converting from first base to catcher in the same season. —Dan Schlossberg, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for first base

• abase
• airspace
• apace
• backspace
• biface
• birthplace
• blackface
• boldface
• bookcase
• braincase
• briefcase
• carcase

Kids Definition

first base

noun

: the base that must be touched first by a base runner in baseball

also : the position of the player defending the area around first base