first night

noun

: the night on which a theatrical production is first performed at a given place
also : the performance itself

Examples of first night in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
On the first night of Southern California’s fires Thursday, the crescent moon was the only source of light across homes nestled beneath Boney Mountain in Ventura County and across much of the Santa Monica Mountains due to the ongoing outages. — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026 The groom also decided to embrace the shades of their celebration for the first night, creating a bespoke baby blue suit with Brioni. — Shelby Wax, Vogue, 16 Oct. 2026 Insider tip For visitors looking to relax and not go far, book the screening room for your first night and enjoy your favorite movie on the big screen after a day relaxing poolside. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 Four people ultimately died after the fire broke out their first night at the rental. — Aaron Parseghian, CBS News, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for first night

Word History

First Known Use

1698, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of first night was in 1698

Rhymes for first night

See All Rhymes for first night

Browse Nearby Words

firstness
first night
first-nighter
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“First night.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/first%20night. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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