primer
1[ prim-er or, especially British, prahy-mer ]
/ ˈprɪm ər or, especially British, ˈpraɪ mər /
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noun
an elementary book for teaching children to read.
any book of elementary principles: a primer of phonetics.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON “THEIR,” “THERE,” AND “THEY’RE”
Are you aware how often people swap around “their,” “there,” and “they’re”? Prove you have more than a fair grasp over these commonly confused words.
Question 1 of 7
Which one of these commonly confused words can act as an adverb or a pronoun?
Origin of primer
1Words nearby primer
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.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
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.