firsthand

[ furst-hand ]

/ ˈfɜrstˈhænd /

from the first or original source: We heard the news of the accident firsthand from a witness.

of or relating to the first or original source.

direct from the original source: firsthand knowledge of the riot.

Origin of firsthand

First recorded in 1690–1700; first + hand

Documents and firsthand accounts of Clausewitz at war by others are few and far between.

How Clausewitz Invented Modern War |James A. Warren |November 24, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
I saw personally, firsthand, what drug use and drug abuse is doing to an underprivileged population.

Can Congress Get Stoned Now That D.C. Has Legalized Marijuana? |Abby Haglage |November 5, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Firsthand accounts from Sinjar paint a picture of withdrawal without a fight and without warning the local population.

How the U.S.-favored Kurds Abandoned the Yazidis when ISIS Attacked |Christine van den Toorn |August 17, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
More than a few joined after witnessing 9/11, and some had even experienced it firsthand in Manhattan or DC.

Bergdahl’s Bitter Homecoming: The Psychological Cost of War |Jean Kim |July 19, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

From firsthand experience, I know exactly what Justice Thomas is describing.

Justice Thomas Is Right About America’s Obsession With Race |Ron Christie |February 21, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Now, from her new employer, she was to learn at firsthand how people in the world of fashion comported themselves.

Superwomen |Albert Payson Terhune
I hope the new Soviet leaders can visit America so they can learn about our country at firsthand.

Complete State of the Union Addresses from 1790 to 2006 |Various
His tactics so closely resemble mine that I suspect he learned them from me at firsthand.

The Gray Phantom |Herman Landon
During this period he mastered the use of surveying instruments and made a firsthand study of tides in the region.

Early American Scientific Instruments and Their Makers |Silvio A. Bedini
He spoke from firsthand knowledge of the horrors committed by the Tartars.

The Saracen: The Holy War |Robert Shea