Phrase guide

first off

adv · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

adv

Meaning 1

Firstly; before anything else. Often used to introduce the first in a list of points to be made in conversation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, not-comparable, sequence

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adverb

Meaning 2

before anything else

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • first we must consider the garter snake

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: first, firstly, foremost, first of all

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.