premier

[ pri-meer, -myeer, pree-meer ]

noun

1. the head of the cabinet in France or Italy or certain other countries; first minister; prime minister.
2. a chief officer.

adjective

1. first in rank; chief; leading.
2. first in time; earliest; oldest.

premier

/ ˈprɛmjə /

noun

1. another name for prime minister
2. any of the heads of governments of the Canadian provinces and the Australian states
3. plural the winners of a premiership

adjective

1. first in importance, rank, etc
2. first in occurrence; earliest

premier

1. The head of government in many nations. A premier's position is usually the same as that of a prime minister . The chiefs of government of the provinces of Canada are called premiers.

Other Words From

• pre·miership noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of premier¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English primer, primier, premer (adjective), from Anglo-French primer, premer and Middle French premier, primier, literally, “first,” from Latin prīmārius “of the first rank”; primary

Word History and Origins

Origin of premier¹

C15: from Old French: first, from Latin prīmārius principal, from prīmus first

Example Sentences

The meeting, Nov. 16-18, in Chicago, is a premier global exchange of the latest scientific advancements, research and evidence-based clinical practice updates in cardiovascular science.

From Science Daily

The University of Florida, the state’s premier institution, was not immune from the pressures.

From New York Times

Sadat told the court that Iza’s Nevada-based doctor was the “premier, No. 1 leg-lengthening surgeon in the world,” and submitted a letter from the physician that said the rods needed to be removed.

From Los Angeles Times

Sir Keir was one of only seven G20 leaders attending the summit, with 13 absentees including the premiers of the US, China, France and Germany.

From BBC

So is Slovakia’s prime minister, and, to an extent, Italy’s premier too.

From BBC

More About Premier

What does premier mean?

Premier is used to refer to the head of the government of certain countries, equivalent to a prime minister, as in The premier of France gave a speech today.

Premier can also mean that something is highest in rank or is chief among a group, as in NASA is the premier authority on American spaceflight.

Alternatively, premier can mean that something occurred earliest in time or is the oldest, as in The director has come a long way since the inexperience she showed during her premier film.

The government position that a premier holds is referred to as a premiership, as in The popular premier restored a sense of respect and authority to the premiership.

The word premier can be easily confused with the word premiere, which is often pronounced exactly the same. Premiere refers to the first public showing or display of something, as in The museum announced the premiere of a new dinosaur exhibit scheduled for later this month. Notably, premiere is used as a verb while premier is not.

Example: The Italian premier met with the leaders of many other nations during the conference. 

Where does premier come from?

The first records of premier come from around 1400. It ultimately comes from the Latin prīmārius  meaning “of the first rank.” Today, premier is used to refer to both the highest rank of something as well as the actual person who holds this rank.

When translating the title of a country’s first minister into English, premier can generally be used interchangeably with prime minister. However, different countries may have different preferences as to which English term you should use. It’s always wise to check first.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to premier?

• premiership (noun)

What are some synonyms for premier?

• first
• oldest
• chief
• champion

What are some words that share a root or word element with premier? 

• primary

What are some words that often get used in discussing premier?

• prime minister
• leader
• head

What are some words premier may be commonly confused with?

• premiere

How is premier used in real life?

Premier is commonly used as a leadership position in a government and to refer to something that was first.

BREAKING: Italian Premier Matteo Renzi says death toll from quake rises to 120.

— The Associated Press (@AP) August 24, 2016

Stephen McNeil announces he will be stepping down as Premier of Nova Scotia. @CTVAtlantic

— Steve Murphy (@CTVAnchor) August 6, 2020

A website called rotten tomatoes is the premier authority on movie quality. Never give up on your dreams.

— Moxi Floxacin (@extracheeseMD) February 26, 2017

Try using premier!

Which of the following is NOT a synonym of premier?

A. worst
B. oldest
C. earliest
D. leading