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prime minister

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noun
  1. the principal minister and head of government in parliamentary systems; chief of the cabinet or ministry: the British prime minister.
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Origin of prime minister

First recorded in 1640–50
Related formsprime-min·is·te·ri·al [prahym-min-uh-steer-ee-uh l] /ˈpraɪmˌmɪn əˈstɪər i əl/, adjectiveprime-min·is·ter·ship, nounprime ministry, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for prime minister

Historical Examples

  • The next morning the king and the prime-minister were talking over what they had seen.

    Twilight Land

    Howard Pyle

  • While the king was saying these words to Beppo, Beppo was looking fixedly at the prime-minister.

    Twilight Land

    Howard Pyle

  • As he did so Beppo looked at the prime-minister and smiled, and then he withdrew.

    Twilight Land

    Howard Pyle

  • The prime-minister wrung his hand again, and then Beppo rode away.

    Twilight Land

    Howard Pyle

  • The prime-minister will again speak to you, and this time say, It is well, and I wish you joy.

    Twilight Land

    Howard Pyle

British Dictionary definitions for prime minister

prime minister

noun
  1. the head of a parliamentary government
  2. the chief minister of a sovereign or a state
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Derived Formsprime ministership or prime ministry, noun
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 prime minister

1640s, see prime (adj.) and minister (n.). Applied to the First Minister of State of Great Britain since 1694.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
prime minister in Culture

prime minister

The head of government in many nations. Prime minister is commonly the title of the head of government in a parliamentary system, such as that of Britain or Canada.

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The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.