freshman

noun

fresh·​man ˈfresh-mən How to pronounce freshman (audio)
often attributive
1
: a student in the first year of high school or college
2
: beginner, newcomer
especially : a person who is starting a job or activity
freshman lawmakers

Examples of freshman in a Sentence

My daughter's a freshman at UCLA. He was the best freshman in professional basketball this year.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Desir was a state qualifier in the 170-pound weight class during her freshman season. Alex Kushel, Sun Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2025 Will Ahmad Nowell look for a different opportunity after very little usage in his freshman year? Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 2025 The 2021 Baylor and 2022 Kansas national championship squads were nearly entirely composed of upperclassmen, and UConn started just one freshman for each of its back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024. Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 27 Mar. 2025 The majority of the unit returns unproven talent, most of whom were true freshmen and redshirted last season. Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for freshman

Word History

First Known Use

1557, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of freshman was in 1557

Cite this Entry

“Freshman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/freshman. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

freshman

noun
fresh·​man ˈfresh-mən How to pronounce freshman (audio)
1
2
: a student in the first year (as of high school or college)

More from Merriam-Webster on freshman

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!