primary election

American  

noun

1. primary.

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primary election British  

noun

1. See primary

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Etymology

Origin of primary election

First recorded in 1785–95

Example Sentences

Fairfax ran for Virginia governor in 2021, but lost in the primary election.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

He was certified by the Los Angeles city clerk on March 2 as one of 14 candidates in the June 2 primary election.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

If needed, “New York courts can move the primary election date.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 3, 2026

In 2008, he endorsed Hillary Rodham Clinton over Barack Obama in the primary election.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 21, 2026

Allwright, the Supreme Court ended the use of the all-white primary election; and in 1946, the Court ruled that state laws requiring segregation on interstate buses were unconstitutional.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander