Freshman
/ˈfrɛʃmən/
Definitions
A student in their first year of high school, college, or university.
/ˈfrɛʃmən/
A first-year student at a high school, college, or university.
Sarah is a freshman at State University.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're starting at a new school. You're a freshman! It's like being the new kid on the block, just learning the ropes. For instance, if a new student joins the high school, everyone would call him a freshman.
👶 For kids: A freshman is like a new student in a school, in the first grade. It’s like being a baby student!
More Examples
The freshman class is learning about campus life.
Being a freshman can be exciting and a little overwhelming.
How It's Used
"The freshman class organized a welcome event for new students."
"The star freshman joined the basketball team."
From "fresh" + "man", denoting someone new to an institution. It originally referred to newly arrived students at universities, and later, high schools.
The term has been used in educational settings since at least the 17th century, evolving to its current usage.
Memory tip
Think of someone 'fresh' to the school.