first-born
UK[ˈfɜːst bɔːn]US[ˈfɜːrst bɔːrn]
adj
Being the first child to be born to a parent or parents.
n
A person's first child.
Morpheme Breakdown
first
born
first
foremost
born
brought into life
Etymology
The compound 'first-born' is a transparent combination of two deeply rooted Germanic elements. 'First' originates from the Proto-Germanic superlative 'furistaz', itself from the Proto-Indo-European root 'per-' (forward, through), conveying the concept of being foremost in a sequence. 'Born' descends from the Old English 'beran', tracing back to the PIE root 'bher-' (to carry, to bear children). The literal logic of the compound, "foremost carried/brought forth," directly and universally describes the eldest child in a family. This straightforward descriptive construction has remained semantically stable from its Old English origins to modern usage, perfectly encapsulating the concept of primogeniture.
Analysis
Structure: first (foremost) + born (brought into life)
- first: From Old English 'fyrst', meaning foremost in time, order, or rank. It functions as a superlative adjective.
- born: From Old English 'boren', the past participle of 'beran' (to bear, to carry). It functions as an adjective describing the state of having been brought into life.
Examples
Their first-born son inherited the family estate.
She is the first-born of five children.
The tradition applied only to the first-born child.