in the first place
/ɪn ðə ˈfɜːst pleɪs/
"in-the-first-place" is a 15-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“in the first place” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a prep_phrase - the kind of word writers most often double-check.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 18
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To begin with; earlier; firstly; originally; at the start.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | in the first place |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Prep_phrase |
| IPA | /ɪn ðə ˈfɜːst pleɪs/ |
| Letters | 18 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “in the first place” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for in the first place is 18 letters long, classified as a prep_phrase, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪn ðə ˈfɜːst pleɪs/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
Zero misspellings are on record for in the first place in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Wiktionary doesn't record an etymology for this headword, so its spelling is easiest to reason about phoneme by phoneme, absent a documented history. The correct English form is in the first place, spelled I-N- -T-H-E- -F-I-R-S-T- -P-L-A-C-E.
Definition
- 1To begin with; earlier; firstly; originally; at the start.
- 2At all, even (typically in non-negated statements).
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you spell "in the first place"?
What does "in the first place" mean?
How do you pronounce "in the first place"?
What language does "in the first place" come from?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “in the first place”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is I-N- -T-H-E- -F-I-R-S-T- -P-L-A-C-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ɪn ðə ˈfɜːst pleɪs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source
Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.