primary

[ prahy-mer-ee, -muh-ree ]

adjective

1. first or highest in rank or importance; chief; principal:

   his primary goals in life.

   Synonyms: prime, main

   Antonyms: last

2. first in order in any series, sequence, etc.

   Antonyms: final, last

3. first in time; earliest; primitive.

   Synonyms: primeval, original

4. of, relating to, or characteristic of primary school:

   the primary grades.

5. constituting or belonging to the first stage in any process.

   Synonyms: opening, beginning

6. of the nature of the ultimate or simpler constituents of which something complex is made up:

   Animals have a few primary instincts.

7. 1. original; not derived or subordinate; fundamental; basic.
   2. (in scholarly studies) pertaining to or being a firsthand account, original data, etc., or based on direct knowledge, as in primary source primary research
8. immediate or direct, or not involving intermediate agency:

   primary perceptions.

9. Sociology. (of social values or ideals) conceived as derived from the primary group and culturally defined as being necessary to the welfare of the individual and society.
10. Ornithology. pertaining to any of the set of flight feathers situated on the distal segment of a bird's wing.
11. Electricity. noting or pertaining to the circuit, coil, winding, or current that induces current in secondary windings in an induction coil, transformer, or the like.
12. Chemistry.
    1. involving or obtained by replacement of one atom or group.
    2. noting or containing a carbon atom united to no other or to only one other carbon atom in a molecule.
13. Grammar.
    1. (of a derivative) having a root or other unanalyzable element as the underlying form:

       The word "dole" is a primary derivative formed by modification of "deal," and "phonograph" is a primary derivative from "phono-" and "-graph."

    2. (of Latin, Greek, Sanskrit tenses) having reference to present or future time. Compare secondary ( def 10 ).

noun

, plural pri·ma·ries.

1. something that is first in order, rank, or importance.
2. U.S. Politics.
   1. Also called primary election. a preliminary election in which voters of each party nominate candidates for office, party officers, etc. Compare closed primary, direct primary, indirect primary, open primary.
   2. a meeting of the voters of a political party in an election district for nominating candidates for office, choosing delegates for a convention, etc.; caucus.
3. primary color.
4. Ornithology. a primary feather.
5. Electricity. a winding in a transformer or the like that carries a current and that induces a current in secondary windings.
6. Astronomy.
   1. a body in relation to a smaller body or smaller bodies revolving around it, as a planet in relation to its satellites.
   2. the brighter of the two stars comprising a double star. Compare companion ¹( def 6 ).

verb (used with object)

, pri·ma·ried, pri·ma·ry·ing.

1. U.S. Politics. to challenge or oppose (the incumbent) in a primary election, usually for strong ideological reasons (often used in passive constructions):

   The congressman was primaried by a more conservative candidate.

verb (used without object)

, pri·ma·ried, pri·ma·ry·ing.

1. U.S. Politics. to run as a candidate in a primary election.

primary

/ ˈpraɪmərɪ /

adjective

1. first in importance, degree, rank, etc
2. first in position or time, as in a series
3. fundamental; basic
4. being the first stage; elementary
5. prenominal of or relating to the education of children up to the age of 11
6. (of the flight feathers of a bird's wing) growing from the manus
7. 1. being the part of an electric circuit, such as a transformer or induction coil, in which a changing current induces a current in a neighbouring circuit

      a primary coil

   2. (of a current) flowing in such a circuit Compare secondary
8. 1. (of a product) consisting of a natural raw material; unmanufactured
   2. (of production or industry) involving the extraction or winning of such products. Agriculture, fishing, forestry, hunting, and mining are primary industries Compare secondary tertiary
9. chem
   1. (of an organic compound) having a functional group attached to a carbon atom that is attached to at least two hydrogen atoms
   2. (of an amine) having only one organic group attached to the nitrogen atom; containing the group NH 2
   3. (of a salt) derived from a tribasic acid by replacement of one acidic hydrogen atom with a metal atom or electropositive group
10. linguistics
    1. derived from a word that is not a derivation but the ultimate form itself. Lovable is a primary derivative of love
    2. (of Latin, Greek, or Sanskrit tenses) referring to present or future time Compare historic
11. geology relating to magmas that have not experienced fractional crystallization or crystal contamination

noun

1. a person or thing that is first in rank, occurrence, etc
2. in the US Full nameprimary election
   1. a preliminary election in which the voters of a state or region choose a party's convention delegates, nominees for office, etc See also closed primary direct primary open primary
   2. a local meeting of voters registered with one party to nominate candidates, select convention delegates, etc
3. See primary colour
4. any of the flight feathers growing from the manus of a bird's wing
5. a primary coil, winding, inductance, or current in an electric circuit
6. astronomy a celestial body around which one or more specified secondary bodies orbit

   the sun is the primary of the earth

primary

/ prī′mĕr′ē /

1. Relating to a primary color.
2. Relating to plant tissues or growth derived from the apical meristem in the tips of roots and shoots, whose cells divide and elongate to cause the plant to grow lengthwise.
3. 1. Relating to or having a carbon atom that is attached to only one other carbon atom in a molecule.
   2. Relating to an organic molecule, such as an alcohol, in which the functional group is attached to a primary carbon. A primary alcohol, for example, has the hydroxyl (OH) group attached to the last carbon in a chain.
4. 1. Arising first and spontaneously, as a disease, disorder, or tumor, and not as a result of a known medical condition or injury.
   2. Relating to the first set of teeth that develops in humans.
5. Relating to the initial medical care given by a healthcare provider to a patient, especially in a setting of ambulatory, continuous care, and sometimes followed by referral to other medical providers.
6. Compare secondary

Other Words From

• prima·ri·ness noun
• post·prima·ry adjective
• sub·prima·ry adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of primary¹

First recorded in 1425–75; (adjective) late Middle English, from Latin prīmārius “of the first rank, chief.” See prime, -ary

Word History and Origins

Origin of primary¹

C15: from Latin prīmārius of the first rank, principal, from prīmus first

Synonym Study

See elementary.

Example Sentences

“It’s a big loss for the community,” said actor Hailie Sahar, who is preparing to play Java in a biopic and was one of her primary caregivers over the last two years.

From Los Angeles Times

His free lunches for every primary school child scheme was praised by a new independent report that found it had brought “significant benefits” for the capital’s children, parents and schools.

From BBC

The study's primary limitation is that participants were healthy and did not have heart failure or risk factors for developing heart failure at the time of enrollment.

From Science Daily

A court sentenced 45 campaigners to up to 10 years in prison, for organizing or taking part in a legislative primary in 2020 after Beijing imposed a broad national security law.

From New York Times

She cited rising operational costs as the primary reason for the rent increase in an email to tenants.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• constitutional
• dominant
• elementary
• essential
• fundamental
• immediate
• initial
• leading
• main
• prime
• principal
• underlying
• vital