noun · 5 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
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/ˈfɹɛʃ.mən/
[ˈfɹwɛʃ.mən] ~ [ˈfɹwɛʃ.mn̩]
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:F R EH1 SH M AH0 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
a person (of either sex) entering the first year of an institution, especially a high school (ninth grade for US, grade 9 for Canada, grade 7 for Philippines), a university, or legislative body
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Canada, Philippines, US
Examples
At the time I was a wide-eyed freshman, but I was soon to grow jaded and cynical.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
a novice; one in the rudiments of knowledge
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adjective satellite
Meaning 3
used of a person in the first year of an experience (especially in United States high school or college)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a freshman senator
freshman year in high school or college
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: first-year
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
a first-year undergraduate
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: fresher
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: lowerclassman, underclassman
5
noun
Meaning 5
any new participant in some activity
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.