Dictionary

firstly en · ADV

Pronunciation

• /ˈfɜɹstli/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Coined before 1475, from Middle English fyrst-lyk, equivalent to first + -ly.

Meanings

1. (formal, not-comparable) In the first place; before anything else; first.
   • We'll go into more depth with all the specs shortly so anyone less well versed in espresso speak will understand what I'm harping on about, but firstly let's just talk about using the machine. 2025 May 3, Kev, “Rocket Appartamento TCA Review”, in Coffee Blog:
   • Firstly, I continue to base most species treatments on personally collected material, rather than on herbarium plants. […] Secondly, I continue to base my concepts on intensive study of a limited suite of collections, rather than superficial study of every packet that comes to hand. 1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, Chicago, Ill.: Field Museum of Natural History, →ISBN, page vii:

Forms

Antonyms

lastly

Relateds

:Category:English sequence adverbs · at first · in the first place

Synonyms

first of all · first off · firstly · first · first up · in the first place · 1stly

Translations (109)

ml ഒന്നാമത് (in the first place) · ug ئاۋۋال (in the first place) · crh evelâ (in the first place) · es primeramente (in the first place) · fr primo (in the first place) · gl primeiramente (in the first place) · ota اوكجه (in the first place) · vi trước tiên (in the first place) · ca primerament (in the first place) · az əvvəlcə (in the first place) · mi mātua (in the first place) · da for det første (in the first place) · pl wpierw (in the first place) · tr ilk (in the first place) · cmn 一來 /一来 (in the first place) · ja 先ず (in the first place) · rsk перше (in the first place) · ru пе́рвым до́лгом (in the first place) · tg аввалан (in the first place) · ta முதலில் (in the first place) · fi ensiksi (in the first place) · cs za prvé (in the first place) · tr önce (in the first place) · cmn 首先 (in the first place) · mk прво (in the first place) · vi trước nhất (in the first place) · ba тәүҙә (in the first place) · ar أَوَّلًا (in the first place) · gd an toiseach (in the first place) · it prima (in the first place) · hu először (in the first place) · fi ensinnäkin (in the first place) · gl primeiro (in the first place) · pl najsampierw (in the first place) · sv för det första (in the first place) · ml ആദ്യം (in the first place) · cmn 第一 (in the first place) · sa प्रथमम् (in the first place) · izh ensiks (in the first place) · izh ensti (in the first place) · ga ar an gcéad dul síos (in the first place) · fr premièrement (in the first place) · rup ntãnj (in the first place) · pl pierwej (in the first place) · sl najprej (in the first place) · az ilk növbədə (in the first place) · cmn 最先 (in the first place) · ko 첫째로 (in the first place) · bn আউয়াল (in the first place) · ba алда (in the first place) · ru во-пе́рвых (in the first place) · pl najpierw (in the first place) · pl po pierwsze (in the first place) · ro întâi (in the first place) · ba алдан (in the first place) · ja 最初に (in the first place) · nl ten eerste (in the first place) · fr avant tout (in the first place) · crh eñ evelâ (in the first place) · it in primo luogo (in the first place) · ja 初めに (in the first place) · io unesme (in the first place) · ro prim (in the first place) · uk по-пе́рше (in the first place) · sl prvič (in the first place) · xqa اِلْكْ (in the first place) · pl pierw (in the first place) · ja 第一に (in the first place) · fr d'abord (in the first place) · sk po prvé (in the first place) · pl naprzód (in the first place) · cmn 先 (in the first place) · hu először is (in the first place) · pt primeiramente (in the first place) · eo unue (in the first place) · pl na wstępie (in the first place) · it dapprima (in the first place) · pl na początku (in the first place) · hu elsőként (in the first place) · az birinci növbədə (in the first place) · ko 먼저 (in the first place) · is í fyrsta lagi (in the first place) · ba беренсенән (in the first place) · ru в пе́рвую о́чередь (in the first place) · fa اولا (in the first place) · pl nasamprzód (in the first place) · fr en premier lieu (in the first place) · uz avvalo (in the first place) · et esiteks (in the first place) · ms semula (in the first place) · vi trước hết (in the first place) · ota الك (in the first place) · de erstens (in the first place) · rsk насампредз (in the first place) · ru пре́жде всего́ (in the first place) · bg пъ́рво (in the first place) · az əvvəla (in the first place) · uz birinchidan (in the first place) · hy նախ (in the first place) · be па-пе́ршае (in the first place) · la prīmō (in the first place) · ms pertama (in the first place) · crh birinciden (in the first place) · ba башта (in the first place) · kk біріншіден (in the first place) · fi ensisijaisesti (in the first place) · rup ntãnjiu (in the first place) · sq Ne Fillim (in the first place) · izh enstää (in the first place)