primus

¹

[ prahy-muhs ]

noun

, (often initial capital letter)

, plural pri·mus·es.

1. Scottish Episcopal Church. a bishop who is elected to represent the church body and to summon and preside at synods but who possesses no metropolitan power.

primus

²

[ prahy-muhs ]

adjective

1. (in prescriptions) first.

Primus

³

[ pree-muhs ]

noun

1. Pearl, 1919–1994, U.S. dancer, born in Trinidad.

Primus

¹

/ ˈpraɪməs /

noun

1. a portable paraffin cooking stove, used esp by campers Also calledPrimus stove

primus

²

/ ˈpraɪməs /

noun

1. Scottish Episcopal Church the presiding bishop in the Synod

Word History and Origins

Origin of primus¹

1855–60; < Medieval Latin prīmus, noun use of Latin adj.; prime

Origin of primus²

1790–1800; < Latin prīmus; prime

Word History and Origins

Origin of primus¹

from Latin: first

Example Sentences

He phoned Richard Primus, a law professor at the University of Michigan, to see if Primus agreed and would make the argument publicly.

From Time

As long as the United States was the economic primus inter pares, those arguments were hard to gainsay.

From The Daily Beast

Primus Truber, a Lutheran minister, who gave the first edition of the Vandalie scriptures, died.

From Project Gutenberg

A sledging cook will often make a disagreeable faux pas by extinguishing the primus in the preparation of hoosh.

From Project Gutenberg

Upon the primus heater, alone, did we rely for cooking the meals on sledging journeys.

From Project Gutenberg

In the "Nansen Cooker," which we used, a maximum result is secured from the heat of the primus.

From Project Gutenberg

To light a primus in a draughty tent at a low temperature calls for some forbearance before one is a thorough master of the art.

From Project Gutenberg