primacy

noun

pri·​ma·​cy ˈprī-mə-sē 

1

: the state of being first (as in importance, order, or rank) : preeminence

the primacy of intellectual and esthetic over materialistic values

—T. R. McConnell

2

: the office, rank, or preeminence of an ecclesiastical primate

Synonyms

• distinction
• dominance
• eminence
• noteworthiness
• paramountcy
• preeminence
• preponderance
• preponderancy
• prepotency
• prestigiousness
• superiority
• supremacy
• transcendence

Examples of primacy in a Sentence

Civil law took primacy over religious law.

She has established primacy in her field of study.

Recent Examples on the Web

But the primacy of VOD as a major source of revenue, and as a priority in terms of release, has been called into question by two very successful recent movies moving to streaming very quickly. —Tom Brueggemann, IndieWire, 9 Dec. 2024

Mainly because boards shifted their focus to shareholder primacy, which put impossible burdens on CEOs to keep quarterly profits rising. —Peter Georgescu, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024

In some quarters, shareholder primacy is gaining momentum amid a misplaced backlash against stakeholder capitalism. —R. Edward Freeman, Fortune, 26 Nov. 2024

These escalations also revealed the extent of Israel’s determination to use raw military power to assert primacy in the region and to expose Saudi Arabia’s security vulnerabilities, narrowing Riyadh’s strategic options. —Maria Fantappie, Foreign Affairs, 22 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English primacie, borrowed from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Medieval Latin prīmātia "office of a primate," from prīmāt-, prīmās "leading bishop in an ecclesiastical province, primate" + Latin -ia -y entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

primacy

noun

pri·​ma·​cy ˈprī-mə-sē 

plural primacies

1

: the state of being first (as in time, place, or rank)

2

: the office or dignity of a bishop of the highest rank