primate

[prahy-meyt or especially for 1, prahy-mit]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR primate ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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

any of various omnivorous mammals of the order Primates, comprising the three suborders Anthropoidea (humans, great apes, gibbons, Old World monkeys, and New World monkeys), Prosimii (lemurs, loris, and their allies), and Tarsioidea (tarsiers), especially distinguished by the use of hands, varied locomotion, and by complex flexible behavior involving a high level of social interaction and cultural adaptability.

Archaic. a chief or leader.

Origin of primate

1175–1225; Middle English primat dignitary, religious leader < Late Latin prīmāt- (stem of prīmās), noun use of Latin prīmās of first rank, derivative of prīmus first (see prime); (def 2) taken as singular of New Latin Primates Primates, as if ending in -ate¹

Related formspri·ma·tal, adjective, nounpri·ma·tial

[prahy-mey-shuh l] /praɪˈmeɪ ʃəl/, pri·mat·i·cal

[prahy-mat-i-kuh l] /praɪˈmæt ɪ kəl/, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for primate

hominoid, monkey, human, man, anthropoid, ape, orangutan, gibbon, chimpanzee, gorilla, metropolitan, patriarch, priest, cardinal, bishop, suffragan, archpriest, mammal, baboon, lemur

Examples from the Web for primate

Contemporary Examples of primate

Believed to be around 16 years old at the time, the primate had endured a life in the entertainment business.
This Man Was Shocked When His Chimpanzee Sued Him
Jacqui Goddard
December 3, 2013
But first a word on human lice, a noble symbiote who has been working the primate circuit for millions of years.
Ding Dong, You Have Lice
Kent Sepkowitz
October 31, 2013
The New York-born girl may be have grown up near the state's capital, but she found her primate type in college.
The Real Jersey Dictionary
Jaimie Etkin
August 2, 2010
Furthermore, the primate system permits the best in-depth platform for comparative studies.
Does Research Really Need Human Embryos and Cloning?
Dr. Maureen L. Condic
April 16, 2009
The results are in and Homo habilis, our primate forebear, has won another round.
The Top 10 Diets of 2013 Are All Useless (Except to Book Publishers)
Kent Sepkowitz
December 29, 2013

Historical Examples of primate

Truly the Primate of all Scotland was fortunate in the death he died.
Leading Articles on Various Subjects
Hugh Miller
Stones were flung at the carriages of the Primate and Fitzgibbon.
William Pitt and the Great War
John Holland Rose
In the sacraments of Nagualism, Woman was the primate and hierophant.
Nagualism
Daniel G. Brinton
But the Primate and five of his suffragans were still inflexible.
The History of England from the Accession of James II.
Thomas Babington Macaulay
On the death of Cardinal Beaton, he became his successor as Primate.
The Works of John Knox, Vol. 1 (of 6)
John Knox

British Dictionary definitions for primate

primate

noun

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

adjective

of, relating to, or belonging to the order Primates

Derived Formsprimatial (praɪˈmeɪʃəl), adjective

Word Origin for primate

C18: from New Latin primates, plural of prīmās principal, from prīmus first

primate

noun

another name for archbishop

Primate of all England the Archbishop of Canterbury

Primate of England the Archbishop of York

Word Origin for primate

C13: from Old French, from Latin prīmās 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

Word Origin and History for primate

"high bishop," c.1200, from Old French primat and directly from Medieval Latin primatem (nominative primas) "church primate," noun use of Late Latin adjective primas "of the first rank, chief, principal," from primus "first" (see prime (adj.)).

Meaning "animal of the biological order including monkeys and humans" is attested from 1876, from Modern Latin Primates (Linnæus), from plural of Latin primas; so called from supposedly being the "highest" order of mammals (originally also including bats).

primate in Medicine

primate

[prī′māt′]

n.

A mammal of the order Primates, which includes the anthropoids and prosimians, characterized by refined development of the hands and feet, a shortened snout, and a large brain.

Related formspri•ma′tial (-mā′shəl) adj.

primate in Science

primate

[prī′māt′]

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.