adj
Uncommon
firsthand
FURST-hand
Firsthand (adj) means coming directly from personal experience, without any middleman. Example: “She gave a firsthand account of the earthquake.”
adj
1
Coming directly from personal experience, without any middleman.
"She gave a firsthand account of the earthquake."
adv
1
Directly, through one's own experience.
"“Ladies, look with your eyes, not just your iPhones,” Reddick said. “I know everything is Facebookable, but sometimes you have to experience things firsthand.”"
— Matt DeBow, Bug Chicks invade library (2013)
"He learned firsthand how hard farming can be."
"On my first trip to China after normalization, I saw firsthand the possibility of leveraging Deng Xiaoping’s very real fear of the Soviets to gain specific intelligence aid from the People’s Republic of China."
— Joe Biden, This Can't Hurt Us (2007)
How to use firsthand
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDirectly experienced, not heard secondhand from someone else.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
firsthand experience
firsthand account
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She gave a _____ account of the earthquake.
Etymology
From first and hand.
Synonyms
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at first hand
Antonyms
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Frequently asked questions
What does “firsthand” mean?
The word “firsthand” means coming directly from personal experience, without any middleman. In plain terms, directly experienced, not heard secondhand from someone else.
How do you pronounce “firsthand”?
“Firsthand” is pronounced FURST-hand (/ˈfɝstˌhænd/ in IPA).
How do you use “firsthand” in a sentence?
Here is “firsthand” used in a sentence: “She gave a firsthand account of the earthquake.”
What part of speech is “firsthand”?
Depending on how it is used, “firsthand” can be an adjective and an adverb.
Is “firsthand” a common word?
“Firsthand” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “firsthand” have?
“Firsthand” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: coming directly from personal experience, without any middleman.
