firstly

adverb

first·​ly ˈfərst-lē How to pronounce firstly (audio)
: in the first place : first

Examples of firstly in a Sentence

firstly, gather all the ingredients together
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Diego Simeone could spring some surprises with his line-up, firstly by standing by goalkeeper Juan Musso despite question marks over his performance in the first leg. Sam Leveridge, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025 As Cao and his colleagues note, however, there is something strange about the population of hypervelocity stars; firstly, their speeds max out at around 435 miles per second, even though our calculations suggest this should be only their average velocity. Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2025 The objective: Well, firstly, relax… but also get a good, solid feel for a variety of Front Runner’s product lines. Peter Nelson, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025 Now, the Democratic Party’s institutional failure to focus firstly on the economic security of working families has had epic consequences. John Samuelsen, New York Daily News, 11 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for firstly

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of firstly was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Firstly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/firstly. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

firstly

adverb
first·​ly ˈfərst-lē How to pronounce firstly (audio)
: in the first place

More from Merriam-Webster on firstly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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