first-person

1 of 2

adjective

first-per·​son ˈfərs(t)-ˈpər-sᵊn How to pronounce first-person (audio)
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
Showcasing filmmakers experiment into form, highlights include the visceral and harrowing first-person documentation of the trenches in Ukraine in Real by filmmaker Oleh Sentsov. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2024 Given Shinoda’s passion for Riot’s first-person shooter Valorant, many had predicted a collaboration more towards that frontier. Cecilia Ciocchetti, Rolling Stone, 22 Sep. 2024 But these days, the musician is all-in on the world’s biggest first-person shooter, Call of Duty. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 12 Sep. 2024 Originally, the 2020 game was in first-person and had players exploring imaginative worlds full of bug philosophers, insect mob bosses and thespian arthropods. Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, 10 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for first-person 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'first-person.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1751, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

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

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

Dictionary Entries Near first-person

first papers

first-person

first person

Cite this Entry

“First-person.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/first-person. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.

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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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