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

They’re written in first-person, but White, who was illiterate, almost certainly didn’t write any of them himself. —Ellen Wexler, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 June 2025

Since Washington suspended shipments of military supplies, including first-person view drones, front-line evacuations have become deadly gambles, Ukraine’s need for reliable medevac vehicles has never been more acute. —Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 17 June 2025

There’s the seed of your whole artistic project: the first-person plural, many gendered, variously sexed up. —Merve Emre, New Yorker, 17 June 2025

Thus, emerging adults tend to use first-person pronouns, inject themselves into various topics of discussion, and to talk about experiences from their point of view. —Eric Wood, Forbes.com, 15 June 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