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
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Adjective
This sci-fi first-person shooter is based on the 1972 novel Roadside Picnic, and Andrei Tarkovsky’s 1979 film adaptation of the book, Stalker. Issy Van Der Velde, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2024 His new book, Citizen: My Life After the White House, out Nov. 19 from Alfred A. Knopf, is the former president's first-person account of the subsequent years. Lizz Schumer, People.com, 19 Nov. 2024 Parker recorded interviews with 12 British men and women who had been convicted of murder, then transcribed and edited their words to create a series of extraordinary first-person narratives. The Week Us, theweek, 12 Nov. 2024 That could be adding more quotes or first-person stories, bringing different staff voices in, etc. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for first-person 

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 26 Nov. 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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