freshman English · revision 10765

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=c. 1550|origins=en fresh|origins=en man}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈfreʃ.mən/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a compound of [[fresh]] in the sense of new, inexperienced, and [[man]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A newcomer or novice: about 1550 in the OED, 1552 in Merriam-Webster.^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A student in the first year at a university is from 1596, the 1590s in Etymonline.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) In the United States the freshman class is the lowest of the four classes of a college or high school (1805).^(OED 1989) ''Freshwoman'' is from the 1620s,^(Etymonline) and ''freshmanhood'' from 1568.^(OED 1989) In British use the word is now usually shortened to [[fresher]].^(COED 2004)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1550 – a novice.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1568 – freshmanhood.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1596 – a first-year student.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1620s – freshwoman.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1805 – freshman class (US).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A first-year student at a [[university]], or in North America at a [[high school]].^(AHD)^(COED 2004)

+ # A beginner; a [[novice]].^(AHD)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[freshmanship]]

+ * [[freshmanic]]

+ * [[prefreshman]]

+ * [[subfreshman]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fresh]]

+ * [[fresher]]

+ * [[sophomore]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}