first prize
- noun
- If you send it to an exhibition, it's sure to win first prize.
- win first prize
- first prize winner
- receive the first prize
Examples
-
He won first prize in Rome, you know.
-
Andrea-Michelle Smith (right), a New York City paralegal and former actress, won the $5,000 first prize for her short story.
Fiction book (1994) -
And you won first prize.
-
Instead, he worked with her and she went on to win first prize at the fair.
Academic text (2011) -
I won first prize at the school fair for my large collection of rare and old coins.
Fiction book (1993) -
The first prize winner will receive ten thousand pounds and a series of concert engagements.
Academic text (1990) -
As a student member of ASME in 1984, Dr. Miaoulis was honored with first prize at a regional Old Guard student competition.
Academic text (2011) -
Senior year, we entered a chili cook-off on a whim and won first prize.
Blog text (25) -
After months of preparation, she finally won first prize in the national art competition.
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He was thrilled to hear that his invention earned first prize at the science fair.
Synonyms
The top position in a competition or race
An object like a cup or medal kept as a prize for winning
A medal made of gold that a winner gets in competitions, often in sports
Winning a race or contest by coming first
The highest prize given in a field or competition
How Prestigious
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'the highest award' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'first' (indicating highest rank or precedence) with 'prize' (a reward for winning). This is a straightforward compositional phrase common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
The noun first prize comes from contests where the person in first place got the best prize, so first prize means the 'highest award' in a competition.