first world problem meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

first world problem

noun

Etymology From First World + problem. First use appears c. 1979. See cite below.

A complaint or frustration regarded as trivial that is experienced only by inhabitants in wealthy or developed nations.

The South African housing problem is not a First World problem, it says.1979, To the Point News in Depth, volume 8, numbers 18-35, page 21:
Someone would love to have my first world problems / Kill the moon and turn out the sun / Lock your door and load your gun / Free at last now the time has come to choose1995, “Omissions of the Omen”, in Matthew Good Band (music), Last of the Ghetto Astronauts:

3 more examples

Phone's OS is outta date (first world problem) / Colors won't calibrate (first world problem) / They never stock the snack you want (first world problem) / Caught herpes from a celebutante (first world problem) / Got wallhacked in PVP (first world problem) / Oh no, HD-DVD (first world problem)2010 April 6, “First World Problem”, in MC Frontalot (music), Zero Day:
First world problems are not legitimate problems, but the minuscule annoyances that occur on a day-to-day basis in well-off, developed countries. Low cell phone battery? #firstworldproblems. Your hot water takes a while to get hot? #firstworldproblems.2012 February 13, “The ‘Top 100 First World Problems’ According to Scooter Magruder (Video)”, in Huffington Post, archived from the original on 24 Aug 2019, retrieved 28 Feb 2012:
"My brand new phone got scratched on the first day that I got it," said Monica Menkis. That's a First World problem.2012 February 17, Jeremy Campbell, “‘It’s a First-World problem’”, in Fox 13 News, archived from the original on 25 Feb 2013: