firsts
Never done before
Firsts are initial instances or achievements—things that happen before any others of their kind.
A baby's firsts include first steps, first words, first teeth.
In academics, firsts may refer to first-place finishes or, in British universities, first-class honors degrees.
The word often carries a sense of milestone or breakthrough: She collected several firsts in her career.
Notable points of progress
- recordsStored data or albums
- breakthroughsSudden significant advances
- pioneersFirst to explore territory
- trailblazersThose who open territory
accomplishments · precedents · victories · debuts · innovations · groundbreaking · historic · unprecedented
Stored past experiences
- momentsShort spans of time
- beginningsInitial stages of something
- ritesFormal ceremonial acts
- initiationFormal admission ceremony
virginal · novel · unfamiliar · fresh · new · awakening · discovery · introduction
Recognition for achievement
- distinctionNotable difference or honor
- summaComprehensive scholastic treatise
- magnaLatin for great
- cum laudeAcademic distinction phrase
valedictorian · top marks · excellence · highest · dean's list · scholarship · merit · achievement
First to explore territory
- explorersThose who venture unfamiliar lands
- inventorsCreators of new devices
- discoverersThose who find new things
- foundersThose who begin institutions
originators · innovators · creators · visionaries · pathfinders · groundbreakers · changemakers · revolutionaries
milestones
Notable points of progress
- recordsStored data or albums
- breakthroughsSudden significant advances
- pioneersFirst to explore territory
trailblazers · accomplishments · precedents · victories · debuts · innovations · groundbreaking · historic · unprecedented · achievements
memories
Stored past experiences
- momentsShort spans of time
- beginningsInitial stages of something
- ritesFormal ceremonial acts
initiation · virginal · novel · unfamiliar · fresh · new · awakening · discovery · introduction · encounter
honors
Recognition for achievement
- distinctionNotable difference or honor
- summaComprehensive scholastic treatise
- magnaLatin for great
cum laude · valedictorian · top marks · excellence · highest · dean's list · scholarship · merit · achievement · grades
pioneers
First to explore territory
- explorersThose who venture unfamiliar lands
- inventorsCreators of new devices
- discoverersThose who find new things
founders · originators · innovators · creators · visionaries · pathfinders · groundbreakers · changemakers · revolutionaries · mavericks
primary
Chief in importance
leading · top · main · premier · preeminent · uppermost · predominant · supreme · superior · ahead
- women's historywomen's history, herstory, women's movement, suffrage movement, notable women
- achievementsaccomplishment, achievement, accomplishments, achievements, triumph
- historic momentsturning points, heroic act, triumphs, sacrifice, victories
- innovationinnovation, invention, innovative, innovate, breakthrough
- life storyautobiography, memoir, early years, childhood, memories
- triviatrivia, facts, quiz, anecdotes, trivia night
firstslasts
Continues over time
ends · endings · finals · conclusions · finales
firstsrepeats
Occurs more than once
sequels · reruns · encores · follow-ups · repetitions
- first timeMaiden occurrence
- first namePersonal name, not surname
- first placeWinning position
- at firstIn the beginning
- first aidInitial injury treatment
- first stepInitial action taken
first, first-rate, firstly, firsthand, first-class, firstborn, first-time, first-timer, first and last