premier

[ pri-meer, -myeer, pree-meer ]
See synonyms for: premierpremiers on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. the head of the cabinet in France or Italy or certain other countries; first minister; prime minister.

  2. a chief officer.

adjective
  1. first in rank; chief; leading.

  2. first in time; earliest; oldest.

Origin of premier

1
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English primer, primier, premer (adjective), from Anglo-French primer, premer and Middle French premier, primier, literally, “first,” from Latin prīmārius “of the first rank”; see primary

Other words from premier

  • pre·mier·ship, noun

Words that may be confused with premier

Words Nearby premier

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use premier in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for premier

premier

/ (ˈprɛmjə) /


noun
  1. another name for prime minister

  2. any of the heads of governments of the Canadian provinces and the Australian states

  1. (plural) Australian the winners of a premiership

adjective(prenominal)
  1. first in importance, rank, etc

  2. first in occurrence; earliest

Origin of premier

1
C15: from Old French: first, from Latin prīmārius principal, from prīmus first

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for premier

premier

The head of government in many nations. A premier's position is usually the same as that of a prime minister. The chiefs of government of the provinces of Canada are called premiers.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.