first edition

noun

: the copies of a literary work first printed from the same type and issued at the same time
also : a single copy from a first edition

Examples of first edition in a Sentence

There were many errors in the book's first edition. She owns a valuable first edition of Huckleberry Finn.
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.
The appointment comes as the org is prepping to mount the Sundance Film Festival in Boulder, Colorado in January 2027, which will mark Sundance’s first edition in its new home after departing Park City, Utah. — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2026 Hello, this is Leonie Kidd, and this is my first edition of Morning Squawk. — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2026 For his first edition at the helm of Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival, artistic director Andrew Mohsen wants to widen the scope of what, and who, audiences discover on the shores of the Red Sea. — Essie Assibu, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026 The first edition of Rubaiya Qatar, a new quadrennial in Doha, opens next month and will host more than 120 artists from around the world, including Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, Nepal, Palestine, the Philippines, Sudan, and Thailand. — News Desk, Artforum, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for first edition

Word History

First Known Use

1542, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of first edition was in 1542

Rhymes for first edition

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Browse Nearby Words

first down
first edition
first estate
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Cite this Entry

“First edition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/first%20edition. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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