freshman
15 synonyms and 0 antonyms for freshman, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A student in their first year at a high school, college, or university.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use freshman
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
A compound of fresh and man, originally referring to a newcomer.
Full origin of freshman →Frequently asked questions
What does “freshman” mean?
The word “freshman” means a student in their first year at a high school, college, or university. In plain terms, a first-year student, or more broadly, anyone new to a role or institution.
How do you pronounce “freshman”?
“Freshman” is pronounced FREHSH-muhn (/ˈfɹɛʃ.mən/ in IPA).
How do you use “freshman” in a sentence?
Here is “freshman” used in a sentence: “As a freshman, she was still finding her way around campus.”
What is another word for “freshman”?
Words with a similar meaning to “freshman” include fresher, frosh, freshie, grade nine student, grade 9 student and grade-niner.
What part of speech is “freshman”?
“Freshman” is a noun.
Is “freshman” a common word?
“Freshman” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “freshman” have?
“Freshman” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a student in their first year at a high school, college, or university.
What is the difference between a freshman and a sophomore?
In American high schools and universities, a freshman is a student in their first year, while a sophomore is a student in their second year. The sequence continues with junior for the third year and senior for the fourth.
Can you call a girl a freshman?
Yes. Freshman is used for students of any gender, so a female first-year student is still called a freshman. Many schools now prefer the neutral term 'first-year student', but freshman remains standard for everyone.
What is the plural of freshman?
The plural of freshman is freshmen, following the same pattern as man and men. So you would write 'one freshman' but 'three hundred freshmen'.
Do British universities use the word freshman?
Not usually. In the UK, new university students are called freshers or first-years, and the opening weeks of term are known as freshers' week. Freshman is chiefly the American term, though it also appears in the extended sense of anyone new to a field, as in 'a freshman senator'.