# firstly

> English word · Adverb · IPA /ˈfɜɹstli/ · frequency rank #10,694

## Definitions
1. In the first place; before anything else; first.

## Etymology
Coined before 1475, from Middle English fyrst-lyk, equivalent to first + -ly.

## Easily confused with
- **firsts** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/firstly-vs-firsts)
- **first** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/first-vs-firstly)
- **firmly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/firmly-vs-firstly)
- **firefly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/firefly-vs-firstly)

## Common misspellings (12)
`ffirstly`, `firrstly`, `firslty`, `firsstly`, `firstlly`, `firstlyy`, `firsttly`, `firstyl`, `firtsly`, `fisrtly`, `fristly`, `ifrstly`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/firstly