first offender

noun

1. a person convicted of an offense of law for the first time.

first offender

noun

1. a person convicted of any criminal offence for the first time

Word History and Origins

Origin of first offender¹

First recorded in 1840–50

Example Sentences

Defence solicitor advocate Iain Paterson told the court his client was a first offender.

From BBC

They were also allowed to plead guilty under Georgia’s first offender law, meaning that if they complete their probation without violating the terms or committing another crime, their records will be wiped clean.

From Washington Times

All three lawyers pleaded guilty under Georgia’s “first offender” law, which allows them to wipe the offenses from their permanent record if they comply with the terms of their sentences.

From Washington Times

Philomena spent two years there - which, at the time, was the standard period for the so-called "moral rehabilitation" of unmarried mothers who were labelled as "first offenders".

From BBC

The felony carries up to four years in prison but "no one gets jail time for that as a first offender," a New York law enforcement official told Yahoo News.

From Salon

Related Words

• delinquent
• gangster
• hoodlum
• hooligan
• troublemaker