priming

American  

[prahy-ming] / ˈpraɪ mɪŋ /

noun

1. the powder or other material used to ignite a charge.

2. the act of a person or thing that primes.

3. material used as a primer, or a first coat or layer of paint, size, etc.

---

priming British  

/ ˈpraɪmɪŋ /

noun

1. something used to prime

2. a substance, used to ignite an explosive charge

---

Other Word Forms

• self-priming adjective

Etymology

Origin of priming

First recorded in 1590–1600; prime + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

While speaking to Earth via a video link on Thursday, mission specialist Koch mentioned there had been a slight "priming" issue with the toilet.

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026

As Barron’s wrote last November, the company has been priming investors for the loss of Apple’s sales for years, and it may already be factored into the stock price.

From Barron's • Jan. 9, 2026

Taken together, these two lines of research—the broad immune priming revealed by Covid mRNA vaccines and the precision targeting achieved by cancer-specific mRNA therapies—are beginning to converge.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 5, 2025

In honor of my ancestors, I eschew steps like sanding and priming.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2024

On the other hand, the effects of priming aren't trivial.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

Related Words

• conference
• discussion
• information
• instruction
• meeting
• update