From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :
first-year \first-year\ adj.
Being in the first year of an experience especially in a U.
S. high school or college; -- of a person.
Syn: freshman.
[WordNet 1.5]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) :
first-year
adj 1: used of a person in the first year of an experience
(especially in United States high school or college); "a
freshman senator"; "freshman year in high school or
college" [syn: freshman, first-year]