primarily
Americanadverb
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essentially; mostly; chiefly; principally.
They live primarily from farming.
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in the first instance; at first; originally.
Primarily a doctor, he later became a lawyer.
adverb
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principally; chiefly; mainly
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at first; originally
Etymology
Origin of primarily
Explanation
Primarily means "for the most part." If in the summer, you primarily work at a restaurant, this is the thing you do most, though you also might hang out with friends, exercise, and read books. You can use the adverb primarily any time you'd use the word "mainly" — today, many people rely primarily on the Internet to get their news. This doesn't mean they never read newspapers or watch television news, but most of the time, they learn about current events online. The Latin root of primarily is primus, which means first — most important, most likely, or what you choose before anything else.
Vocabulary lists containing primarily
The SAT: Language of the Test, List 3
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The Language of Standardized Tests, List 2
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The ACT: The Language of the Test, List 2
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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.
The genetic evidence indicates that Shimao's population primarily developed from local groups with Yangshao cultural ancestry in northern Shaanxi.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 21, 2026
The U.S. relies primarily on one nitrocellulose factory in Virginia, while Europe has several.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
The renewed hostilities are “being priced primarily as an oil, inflation and regional-risk event rather than the beginning of a systemic shock,” he said.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
Rodriguez is among a handful of current and former deputies who have been charged tied to their work for private clients — primarily for Adam Iza, a cryptocurrency businessman known as “The Godfather.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
The Shawnee lived primarily in what is now known as Pennsylvania and Ohio.
From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
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.
