primacy
Americannoun
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the state of being first in order, rank, importance, etc.
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Also called primateship. English Ecclesiastics. the office, rank, or dignity of a primate.
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Roman Catholic Church. the jurisdiction of a bishop, as a patriarch, over other bishoprics, or the supreme jurisdiction of the pope as supreme bishop.
noun
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the state of being first in rank, grade, etc
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Christianity the office, rank, or jurisdiction of a primate or senior bishop or (in the Roman Catholic Church) the pope
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of primacy
1350–1400; Middle English primacie < Medieval Latin prīmātia, alteration of Latin prīmātus ( prīm ( us ) prime + -ātus -ate 3 ); see -y 3
Explanation
Something with primacy has first importance. If you are deciding who to take on an all-expenses-paid trip up the Amazon, the quality of being chill and fun might take primacy over the number of years you've been friends. Primacy comes from primary, meaning first, and it is like a condition of always having first place. If you are the teacher’s pet, you might have primacy over your classmates. You can also talk about primacy within a field. Madonna, Beyonce, and Shakira have all at one time or another achieved primacy in the field of pop music. Keep practicing, maybe you'll be next.
Vocabulary lists containing primacy
Power Suffix: -acy
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President Obama's Farewell Address
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4.3: Origins and Impact of the Western European Empires in the North Atlantic (Sources 1–9)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Primacy belongs to the brain, which dedicates around half of its resources to processing visual information; hence, vision’s intimate relationship to emotion and intuition.
From Salon • Sep. 18, 2025
As chair of the National Association of Head Teachers' Primacy committee he is in regular contact with other headteachers.
From BBC • Apr. 14, 2024
In his new book, The Primacy of Doubt, climate physicist Tim Palmer argues that the science of uncertainty is woefully underappreciated by the public even though it is central to nearly every field of research.
From Scientific American • Oct. 15, 2022
Primacy over development programs in areas such as labor, climate and even democracy promotion have shifted to other departments.
From Seattle Times • May 11, 2021
Matthew, St., records the institution of the priesthood, 133;the transmission of spiritual power, 136;the special promises to Peter, 137;distinguishes the Apostolate and the Primacy, 154-155.
From Church and State as Seen in the Formation of Christendom by Allies, T. W. (Thomas William)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
