Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

first-rate

/fˌɝstɹˈeɪt/

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: 5.10 in modern English

Syllables: first-rate
IPA: /fˌɝstɹˈeɪt/

12

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

2

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Of a Royal Navy ship of the line in the Napoleonic Era: having at least 100 guns across three gun decks, a complement of 850–875, and weighing approximately 2,500 tons burthen.

British usage

adj

Superb, exceptional; of the best sort; very high quality.

noun

A first-rate ship of the line.

British usage

Example Sentences

"Our only first-rate body of contemporary poetry is the German."
"He used to drop into my chambers once in a while to smoke, and was first-rate company. When I gave a dinner there was generally a cover laid for him. I liked the man for his own sake, and even had he promised to turn out a celebrity it would have had no weight with me."
""I once did something right. I played first-rate basketball. I really did. And after you're first-rate at something, no matter what, it kind of takes the kick out of being second-rate.""

Usage

British usage

Inflected Forms

first rate (alternative) first-rates (plural)

Phrases

first-rateness first-rater a-number-one fifth-rate fourth-rate second-rate sixth-rate third-rate

Frequently Paired Words

a-number-one fifth-rate fourth-rate second-rate sixth-rate third-rate top notch top of the line

Synonyms

amazing magnificent splendid ace admirable awe-inspiring awesome badass broyal bang on bang-up studly

Rhymes With

great state wait late date rate hate straight eight create weight estate

Questions

How do you pronounce first-rate?: The recorded pronunciation is /fˌɝstɹˈeɪt/.
What does first-rate mean?: Of a Royal Navy ship of the line in the Napoleonic Era: having at least 100 guns across three gun decks, a complement of 850–875, and weighing approximately 2,500 tons burthen.

How to pronounce first-rate

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “first-rate”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/fˌɝstɹˈeɪt/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “first-rate”.
Repeat and practice — Say “first-rate” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.