Firstling
[FURS-tling]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: Old English, date unknown
1.
(Archaic; usually firstlings) The first agricultural produce or animal offspring of a season.
Examples of Firstling in a sentence
"The sheep’s firstling was adorable. "
"Eggplant was the firstling of the spring season."
About Firstling
This word stems from the Old English “fyrest,” originally from Proto-Germanic “furistaz,” meaning “foremost.” The Old English “-ling” comes from the Proto-Germanic “-lingaz,” meaning “small, immature, miniature” or “follower.”
Did you Know?
“Firstling” isn’t a commonly used word now, but it pops up in classic texts. There are several spots in the Bible’s Old Testament that mention firstlings, often referring to various animals’ offspring. And in the fourth act of “Macbeth,” the titular character says in an aside, “From this moment the very firstlings of my heart shall be the firstlings of my hand,” meaning his first thoughts will translate into his first, immediate actions.
