fresher
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
a student who has just started their first year at a university.
a first-year undergraduate student at a university or college.
Simple“The campus was full of excited freshers carrying maps and looking for their classrooms.”
In context“During the first week of term, the student union organises various events to help freshers integrate into the university community.”
UsageCommonly used in the plural to refer to the new intake of students.
Teacher's tipWhile 'freshman' is the standard term in American English, 'fresher' is the dominant informal term in the UK, Ireland, and Australasia.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a person who has recently finished university and is looking for their first job.
a recent graduate who is a newcomer to the professional job market.
Simple“The company is hiring ten freshers for its new junior developer programme.”
In context“As a fresher in the competitive tech industry, she spent her evenings refining her portfolio to attract potential recruiters.”
UsagePrimarily used in Indian English in professional and recruitment contexts.
Teacher's tipThis sense is specific to Indian English; in other regions, 'recent graduate' or 'entry-level candidate' is preferred.
From fresh + -er (comparative suffix).
From a clipping of freshman + -er (Oxford -er).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.