first-person

1 of 2

adjective

first-per·​son ˈfərs(t)-ˈpər-sᵊn 

variants or less commonly first person

1

: of, relating to, or occurring in the first person

a first-person narrative

a first-person verb form

2

: experienced as if through the eyes of an avatar (as in a video game)

As 3-D first-person games evolved, … visual verisimilitude improved …

—Ian Bogost

When playing as the lead guitarist in first person mode players will see fans react to how they play.

—Sean Michael

see also first-person shooter

first person

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: a set of linguistic forms (such as verb forms, pronouns, and inflectional affixes) referring to the speaker or writer of the utterance in which they occur

b

: a linguistic form belonging to such a set

c

: reference of a linguistic form to the speaker or writer of the utterance in which it occurs

2

: a style of discourse marked by general use of verbs and pronouns of the first person

Examples of first-person in a Sentence

Noun

She always wrote in the first person.

The sentence “I was born in Maine” is written in the first person.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Having interviewed notable figures like Khloe Kardashian, Winnie Harlow and Mona Kattan, Denise's vast writing portfolio also includes everything from product reviews and buying guides to first-person features and ... —Denise Primbet, Glamour, 21 Feb. 2025

Fola comes across as the most sympathetic character, and the story, though not a first-person narrative, feels like it’s told from their perspective — which perhaps explains a slight tendency toward caricatures in the portrayals of other characters, especially Healy and Sandra. —Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2025

Prologue was first announced in 2019 with a cryptic trailer that showed a first-person view of a storm crashing through a dark forest. —Issy Van Der Velde, Rolling Stone, 20 Feb. 2025

Huang, who previously hosted Huang’s World for Vice, offers a first-person account of the company’s trajectory, blending cultural analysis with an exploration of the corporate and personal ramifications of its collapse. —Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1751, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

first person

noun

1

: a set of words or forms (as pronouns or verb forms) referring to the person speaking or writing them

2

: a writing style making use of pronouns and verbs of the first person

first person narration