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Showing results for primus. Search instead for priamus.

primus

1 American  
[prahy-muhs] / ˈpraɪ məs /

noun

(often initial capital letter)

plural

primuses

  1. Scottish Episcopal Church. a bishop who is elected to represent the church body and to summon and preside at synods but who possesses no metropolitan power.

primus 2 American  
[prahy-muhs] / ˈpraɪ məs /

adjective

  1. (in prescriptions) first.

Primus 3 American  
[pree-muhs] / ˈpri məs /

noun

  1. Pearl, 1919–1994, U.S. dancer, born in Trinidad.

Primus 1 British  
/ ˈpraɪməs /

noun

  1. Also called: Primus stove.  a portable paraffin cooking stove, used esp by campers

"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
primus 2 British  
/ ˈpraɪməs /

noun

  1. Scottish Episcopal Church the presiding bishop in the Synod

"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

Etymology

Origin of primus1

1855–60; < Medieval Latin prīmus, noun use of Latin adj.; prime

Origin of primus2

1790–1800; < Latin prīmus; prime

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.

When the prime minister addresses the cabinet, not far away in 10 Downing Street, he is primus inter pares, first among equals, sitting among his or her ministers.

From BBC • Jul. 8, 2025

Facile primus dixisse fertur, et a nullo negatur.

From Slate • Feb. 11, 2013

Abdicare se papa primus fere sex vocant centurias.

From Slate • Feb. 11, 2013

He was acknowledged to be the primus inter pares of the Italian composers of the day.

From The Guardian • Sep. 17, 2010

The Old Dominion was accustomed to thinking of itself as primus inter pares in any confederation of states.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

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.