'firsthand' originates from the combination of 'first' and 'hand', where 'first' meant 'foremost in position' and 'hand' referred to 'possession or control'.

'Firsthand' evolved from the Middle English phrase 'first hand', which was used to describe something obtained directly from the source.

Initially, it meant 'obtained directly from the source', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.