a student in their first year at a high school, college, or university
On her first day of college, Maria felt excited and nervous to be a freshman on the huge campus.
The high school organized an orientation to help every freshman find their classrooms.
✦ Mid-16th century: from fresh + man, originally meaning ‘new or inexperienced person’; the academic sense arose in the 17th century.
a person in their first year of a new position or activity, especially in politics, business, or sports
The newly elected freshman senator gave his very first speech in the chamber.
As a freshman employee, Clara spent her first week learning the company’s software.
✦ Extension of the academic sense of freshman to other fields such as politics and sports in the 19th–20th centuries.
