primate

American  

[prahy-meyt, prahy-mit] / ˈpraɪ meɪt, ˈpraɪ mɪt /

noun

1. Ecclesiastical. an archbishop or bishop ranking first among the bishops of a province or country.

2. Anthropology, Zoology. any of various worldwide omnivorous mammals of the order Primates, comprising, by modern classification, two suborders, the strepsirrhines (lemurs, lorises, and their allies) and the haplorhines (tarsiers, New World monkeys, Old World monkeys, and apes, including humans), especially distinguished by the use of hands, varied locomotion, and complex behavior involving a high level of social interaction and cultural adaptability: many primates are strictly arboreal, but even among the numerous terrestrial species, some arboreal behavior is common.

3. Archaic. a chief or leader.

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primate ¹ British  

/ praɪˈmeɪʃəl, ˈpraɪmeɪt /

noun

1. any placental mammal of the order Primates, typically having flexible hands and feet with opposable first digits, good eyesight, and, in the higher apes, a highly developed brain: includes lemurs, lorises, monkeys, apes, and man

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or belonging to the order Primates

primate ² British  

/ ˈpraɪmeɪt /

noun

1. another name for archbishop

2. the Archbishop of Canterbury

3. the Archbishop of York

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primate Scientific  

/ prī′māt′ /

1. Any of various mammals of the order Primates, having a highly developed brain, eyes facing forward, a shortened nose and muzzle, and opposable thumbs. Primates usually live in groups with complex social systems, and their high intelligence allows them to adapt their behavior successfully to different environments. Lemurs, monkeys, apes, and humans are primates.

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Other Word Forms

• primatal adjective
• primatial adjective
• primatical adjective

Etymology

Origin of primate

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, Anglo-French, Old French primat “dignitary, religious leader, archbishop,” from Late Latin prīmāt- (stem of prīmās ), noun use of Latin prīmās “of first rank, principal, chief,” derivative of prīmus “first”; primate ( def. 2 ) taken as singular of New Latin Primātēs, name of the taxonomic order; -ate as if from the suffix -ate ; prime, Primates, -ate ¹

Example Sentences

"But similar evolutionary signatures in primates suggest this kind of compensatory evolution may be widespread and studying it could clarify how genomes retain ancient functions while adapting to ever-shifting threats," Levine says.

From Science Daily

It is the only non-human primate in the top group and usually gives birth to twins or triplets, resulting in a full sibling rate of nearly 78%.

From Science Daily

Because the study was conducted in nonhuman primates, further research will be needed to determine whether the same effects occur in people.

From Science Daily

Still, the researchers emphasize that their study focused only on mice, and it remains uncertain whether the same processes occur in primates or humans.

From Science Daily

The lifespan benefits of reduced reproduction appeared across a wide range of mammals, including primates, marsupials, and rodents.

From Science Daily