DEFINITIONS

primate

[ prahy-meyt or especially for 1, prahy-mit ]
/ ˈpraɪ meɪt or especially for 1, ˈpraɪ mɪt /
SEE 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.

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Words related to primate

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

Words nearby primate

primary verb, primary wall, primary wave, primary xylem, primarying, primate, primate of all england, primate of england, primates, primateship, primatology

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

OTHER WORDS FROM primate

pri·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

Examples from the Web for primate

British Dictionary definitions for primate (1 of 2)

primate1
/ (ˈpraɪmeɪt) /

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 forms of primate

primatial (praɪˈmeɪʃəl), adjective

Word Origin for primate

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

British Dictionary definitions for primate (2 of 2)

primate2
/ (ˈpraɪmeɪt) /

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

Medicine definitions for primate

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.

Other words from primate

pri•ma′tial (-mā′shəl) adj.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Science definitions for primate

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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.