primary

[ prahy-mer-ee, -muh-ree ]

/ ˈpraɪ mɛr i, -mə ri /

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See synonyms for: primary / primaries on Thesaurus.com

adjective

first or highest in rank or importance; chief; principal: his primary goals in life.

first in order in any series, sequence, etc.

first in time; earliest; primitive.

of, relating to, or characteristic of primary school: the primary grades.

constituting or belonging to the first stage in any process.

of the nature of the ultimate or simpler constituents of which something complex is made up: Animals have a few primary instincts.

original; not derived or subordinate; fundamental; basic.
(in scholarly studies) pertaining to or being a firsthand account, original data, etc., or based on direct knowledge, as in primary source; primary research.

immediate or direct, or not involving intermediate agency: primary perceptions.

Sociology. (of social values or ideals) conceived as derived from the primary group and culturally defined as being necessary to the welfare of the individual and society.

Ornithology. pertaining to any of the set of flight feathers situated on the distal segment of a bird's wing.

Electricity. noting or pertaining to the circuit, coil, winding, or current that induces current in secondary windings in an induction coil, transformer, or the like.

Chemistry.

involving or obtained by replacement of one atom or group.
noting or containing a carbon atom united to no other or to only one other carbon atom in a molecule.

Grammar.

(of a derivative) having a root or other unanalyzable element as the underlying form: The word "dole" is a primary derivative formed by modification of "deal," and "phonograph" is a primary derivative from "phono-" and "-graph."
(of Latin, Greek, Sanskrit tenses) having reference to present or future time.Compare secondary (def. 10).

noun, plural pri·ma·ries.

something that is first in order, rank, or importance.

U.S. Politics.

Also called primary election. a preliminary election in which voters of each party nominate candidates for office, party officers, etc.Compare closed primary, direct primary, indirect primary, open primary.
a meeting of the voters of a political party in an election district for nominating candidates for office, choosing delegates for a convention, etc.; caucus.

primary color.

Ornithology. a primary feather.

Electricity. a winding in a transformer or the like that carries a current and that induces a current in secondary windings.

Astronomy.

a body in relation to a smaller body or smaller bodies revolving around it, as a planet in relation to its satellites.
the brighter of the two stars comprising a double star.Compare companion¹ (def. 6).

verb (used with object), pri·ma·ried, pri·ma·ry·ing.

U.S. Politics. to challenge or oppose (the incumbent) in a primary election, usually for strong ideological reasons (often used in passive constructions): The congressman was primaried by a more conservative candidate.

verb (used without object), pri·ma·ried, pri·ma·ry·ing.

U.S. Politics. to run as a candidate in a primary election.

OTHER WORDS FOR primary

1 main, prime.

3 original; primeval.

5 beginning, opening.

See synonyms for primary on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR primary

1, 2 last.

2 final.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of primary

First recorded in 1425–75; (adjective) late Middle English, from Latin prīmārius “of the first rank, chief.” See prime, -ary

synonym study for primary

5. See elementary.

historical usage of primary

The English adjective primary is a direct borrowing from the Latin adjective prīmārius “very important, leading, chief, excellent, first-rate.” Prīmārius is a pretty obvious derivation of prīmus “leading, foremost, furthest out, extreme, earliest, first” and the adjective and noun suffix -ārius, the ultimate source of the English suffix -ary. Prīmus is formed from the Proto-Indo-European root per, which has many modifications and extensions, and whose fundamental meaning “forward, in front, through” is the base of many adverbs, prefixes, and prepositions. Variants of the root per appear in the Latin prefix, adverb, and preposition prae-, prae “in front, ahead” (adopted as pre- in English) and prō-, prō, implying forward motion, making an opening, priority in time or importance (source of English pro- ). Variants of per appear in Greek prōtos “first” (as in English protein and proton ) and in Germanic (Old English) forma, formest, forth, furthra, fyrst (English former, foremost, forth, further, first ).

OTHER WORDS FROM primary

pri·ma·ri·ness, nounpost·pri·ma·ry, adjectivesub·pri·ma·ry, adjective

Words nearby primary

primal scream, primal therapy, primaquine, primaries, primarily, primary, primary accent, primary care, primary cell, primary color, primary colour

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use primary in a sentence

The primary piece of Clubhouse’s user recommendation engine relies on access to your contacts.
You’ve been invited to Clubhouse. Your privacy hasn’t.|Sara Morrison|February 12, 2021|Vox
She says they would benefit the entire region, but primary El Salvador because the Legislative Assembly has either blocked or ignored.
Ruby Corado backs transgender Central American Parliament candidate|Michael K. Lavers|February 11, 2021|Washington Blade
His primary concern, however, is helping lift Schalke from the bottom of the Bundesliga.
Matthew Hoppe was a little-known American soccer player — until he reached the Bundesliga|Steven Goff|February 11, 2021|Washington Post
The commission’s primary collection method is to send letters, but they weren’t sent on time and, in some cases, weren’t sent at all, the audit found.
Utility Companies Owe Millions to This State Regulatory Agency. The Problem? The Agency Can’t Track What It’s Owed.|by Scott Morris, Bay City News Foundation|February 10, 2021|ProPublica

It is also documented that coyotes are a primary predator of urban Canada goose nests.
Four wild animals that are thriving in cities|By Ryan Chelius/Outdoor Life|February 9, 2021|Popular-Science
Scruff believes that sex is not the primary concern of users.
Grindr’s Trans Dating Problem|David Levesley|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
He has picked pre-primary brawls with Christie, Perry, and Marco Rubio.
Rand Paul’s Passive-Aggressive Trolling Campaign|Olivia Nuzzi|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“You try to always scratch where the itch is,” Huckabee said about his campaigning and rhetoric in the 2008 primary.
Why This Liberal Hearts Huckabee|Sally Kohn|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Even then, most of us doubted he would show up and actually sign the papers allowing him to enter the 1992 New Hampshire primary.
President Cuomo Would’ve Been a Lion|Jonathan Alter|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It was Dec. 20, 1991, the deadline for the New Hampshire primary.
Mario Cuomo, a Frustrating Hero to Democrats, Is Dead at 82|Eleanor Clift|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Besides this fundamental or primary vibration, the movement divides itself into segments, or sections, of the entire length.
Expressive Voice Culture|Jessie Eldridge Southwick
What the ear hears is the fundamental pitch only; the overtones harmonize with the primary or fundamental tone, and enrich it.
Expressive Voice Culture|Jessie Eldridge Southwick
That—and no existing institution and no current issue—is the primary concern of the present age.
The Salvaging Of Civilisation|H. G. (Herbert George) Wells
He also instituted primary schools in every commune, and started an cole Normale for the training of teachers.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison
Primary anemia is that which progresses without apparent cause.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd

British Dictionary definitions for primary

primary

/ (ˈpraɪmərɪ) /

adjective

first in importance, degree, rank, etc

first in position or time, as in a series

fundamental; basic

being the first stage; elementary

(prenominal) of or relating to the education of children up to the age of 11

(of the flight feathers of a bird's wing) growing from the manus

being the part of an electric circuit, such as a transformer or induction coil, in which a changing current induces a current in a neighbouring circuita primary coil
(of a current) flowing in such a circuitCompare secondary

(of a product) consisting of a natural raw material; unmanufactured
(of production or industry) involving the extraction or winning of such products. Agriculture, fishing, forestry, hunting, and mining are primary industriesCompare secondary (def. 7), tertiary (def. 3)

chem

(of an organic compound) having a functional group attached to a carbon atom that is attached to at least two hydrogen atoms
(of an amine) having only one organic group attached to the nitrogen atom; containing the group NH 2
(of a salt) derived from a tribasic acid by replacement of one acidic hydrogen atom with a metal atom or electropositive group

linguistics

derived from a word that is not a derivation but the ultimate form itself. Lovable is a primary derivative of love
(of Latin, Greek, or Sanskrit tenses) referring to present or future timeCompare historic (def. 3)

geology relating to magmas that have not experienced fractional crystallization or crystal contamination

noun plural -ries

a person or thing that is first in rank, occurrence, etc

(in the US)

a preliminary election in which the voters of a state or region choose a party's convention delegates, nominees for office, etcSee also closed primary, direct primary, open primary
a local meeting of voters registered with one party to nominate candidates, select convention delegates, etc

Full name: primary election

See primary colour

any of the flight feathers growing from the manus of a bird's wing

a primary coil, winding, inductance, or current in an electric circuit

astronomy a celestial body around which one or more specified secondary bodies orbitthe sun is the primary of the earth

Word Origin for primary

C15: from Latin prīmārius of the first rank, 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

Scientific definitions for primary

primary

[ prī′mĕr′ē ]

Relating to a primary color.

Relating to plant tissues or growth derived from the apical meristem in the tips of roots and shoots, whose cells divide and elongate to cause the plant to grow lengthwise.

Relating to or having a carbon atom that is attached to only one other carbon atom in a molecule.
Relating to an organic molecule, such as an alcohol, in which the functional group is attached to a primary carbon. A primary alcohol, for example, has the hydroxyl (OH) group attached to the last carbon in a chain.

Arising first and spontaneously, as a disease, disorder, or tumor, and not as a result of a known medical condition or injury.
Relating to the first set of teeth that develops in humans.

Relating to the initial medical care given by a healthcare provider to a patient, especially in a setting of ambulatory, continuous care, and sometimes followed by referral to other medical providers. Compare secondary tertiary.

primary

OTHER WORDS FOR primary

OPPOSITES FOR primary

Origin of primary

synonym study for primary

historical usage of primary

OTHER WORDS FROM primary

Words nearby primary

Words related to primary

How to use primary in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for primary

Word Origin for primary

Scientific definitions for primary