primer

1
[ prim-er or, especially British, prahy-mer ]
/ ˈprɪm ər or, especially British, ˈpraɪ mər /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR primer ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

an elementary book for teaching children to read.
any book of elementary principles: a primer of phonetics.
great primer.
long primer.

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Origin of primer

1
1350–1400; Middle English <Medieval Latin prīmārium, noun use of neuter of prīmāriusprimary

Words nearby primer

prime minister, prime mover, prime number, prime number theorem, prime of life, primer, prime rate, prime ribs, primero, primers, prime the pump

Definition for primer (2 of 2)

primer2
[ prahy-mer ]
/ ˈpraɪ mər /

noun

a person or thing that primes.
a cap, cylinder, etc., containing a compound that may be exploded by percussion or other means, used for firing a charge of powder.
a first coat or layer of paint, size, etc., given to any surface as a base, sealer, or the like.

Origin of primer

2
1490–1500; prime (v.) + -er1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to primer

book, reader, hornbook, basal

Example sentences from the Web for primer

British Dictionary definitions for primer (1 of 2)

primer1
/ (ˈpraɪmə) /

noun

an introductory text, such as a school textbook
printing See long primer, great primer

Word Origin for primer

C14: via Anglo-Norman from Medieval Latin primārius (liber) a first (book), from Latin prīmārius primary

British Dictionary definitions for primer (2 of 2)

primer2
/ (ˈpraɪmə) /

noun

a person or thing that primes
a device, such as a tube containing explosive, for detonating the main charge in a gun, mine, etc
a substance, such as paint, applied to a surface as a base, sealer, etc
Also called (for senses 2, 3): priming

Word Origin for primer

C15: see prime (vb)
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

Medical definitions for primer

primer
[ prī′mər ]

n.

A segment of DNA or RNA that is complementary to a given DNA sequence and that is needed to initiate replication by DNA polymerase.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.