firstly

adverb

first·​ly ˈfərst-lē How to pronounce firstly (audio)
: in the first place : first

Examples of firstly in a Sentence

firstly, gather all the ingredients together
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.
Simon Johnson has spent the majority of his career as a sports reporter since 2000 covering Chelsea, firstly for Hayters and then the London Evening Standard. Simon Johnson, The Athletic, 20 Dec. 2024 This was a man who had lengthy experience in surviving far from luxuriant conditions, firstly from his time living with the destitute of Paris and London as part of his first successful non-fiction volume and secondly as a fighter for the Republican cause in the Spanish Civil War. Rob Crossan, JSTOR Daily, 15 Nov. 2024 Their leaders know firstly that, in the Middle East, small wars have had a habit of becoming far larger ones. Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Oct. 2024 This raises two main concerns: firstly, the contribution to rising carbon emissions; secondly, the question of how to maintain national grid infrastructure when demand is shooting up at an unsustainable pace. The Week Uk, theweek, 8 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for firstly 

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of firstly was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near firstly

Cite this Entry

“Firstly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/firstly. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

firstly

adverb
first·​ly ˈfərst-lē How to pronounce firstly (audio)
: in the first place

More from Merriam-Webster on firstly

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!