first edition

American  

noun

1. the whole number of copies of a literary work printed first, from the same type, and issued together.

2. an individual copy from this number.

3. the first printing of a newspaper for a given date.

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Etymology

Origin of first edition

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

Jane Magnusson recalled rescuing a first edition of Ernest Hemingway’s “The Sun Also Rises” that her mother might otherwise have discarded or given to a stranger.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

France is a Paralympic Games stalwart, having been part of every Winter Games since the first edition in 1976 and also hosting the 2024 Summer Games.

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026

A member of the audience noted that at the end of the first edition of Zack’s book, she addressed future uncertainties in a section titled, “Whither To, Altadena?”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2026

Welcome to the first edition of Executive Dysfunction.

From Slate • Feb. 19, 2026

“I got a first edition for Christmas. That means it’s one of the original—” “You did? You are so lucky,” she said.

From "When You Reach Me" by Rebecca Stead