proverb · Words worth keeping
The last come is the best liked.
The last come is the best liked.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
A newcomer may receive especially warm attention because their arrival is fresh. Notice the effect of novelty without assuming older relationships have become less valuable.
Example
A volunteer group welcomes a new member warmly while continuing to include the regulars who have supported it for years.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The latest arrival becomes the favourite in the speaker’s comparison. Newness can attract curiosity and enthusiasm before people have had much experience of one another. A useful reading asks whether current attention reflects a lasting connection or the excitement of something unfamiliar. Welcome newcomers without forgetting established members or making them compete for belonging. The saying describes a possible shift in preference; it does not prove that the newest person is better, or that every group inevitably abandons its older attachments.
When to use it
Use it to notice how novelty changes attention within a group.
Keep in mind
A genuine new friendship need not be superficial, and welcoming someone does not require excluding anyone else.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional (French-language collection)
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Date unknown