What does "first-year" mean?

Alternative form of first year.

What is a synonym for "first-year"?

Common synonyms include: freshman.

noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Noun

1
Alternative form of first year. alt-of, alternative
"“For being a first year coach he was really good,” said runner Thomas S. Varner referring to Houseknecht. “We learned a lot for a bunch of first-years.”"

Adjective

1
used of a person in the first year of an experience (especially in United States high school or college) wordnet

"These figures indicate three in five college first-year students are indifferent to politics."