primary

1 of 3

adjective

pri·​ma·​ry ˈprī-ˌmer-ē  ˈprī-mə-rē 

ˈprīm-rē

1

: first in order of time or development : primitive

the primary stage of civilization

the primary lesion of a disease

2

a

: of first rank, importance, or value : principal

the primary purpose

b

: basic, fundamental

security is a primary need

c

: of, relating to, or constituting the principal flight feathers of a bird's wing

d

: of or relating to agriculture, forestry, and the extractive industries or their products

e

: expressive of present or future time

primary tense

f

: of, relating to, or constituting the strongest of the three or four degrees of stress recognized by most linguists

the first syllable of basketball carries primary stress

3

a

: direct, firsthand

primary sources of information

b

: not derivable from other colors, odors, or tastes

c

: preparatory to something else in a continuing process

primary instruction

d

: of or relating to a primary school

primary education

e

: of or relating to a primary election

a primary candidate

f

: belonging to the first group or order in successive divisions, combinations, or ramifications

primary nerves

g

: directly derived from ores

primary metals

h

: of, relating to, or being the amino acid sequence in proteins

primary protein structure

4

: resulting from the substitution of one of two or more atoms or groups in a molecule

a primary amine

especially : being or characterized by a carbon atom having a bond to only one other carbon atom

5

: of, relating to, involving, or derived from primary meristem

primary tissue

primary growth

6

: of, relating to, or involved in the production of organic substances by green plants

primary productivity

7

: providing primary care

a primary physician

primary

2 of 3

noun

plural primaries

1

: something that stands first in rank, importance, or value : fundamental

—usually used in plural

2

: the celestial body around which one or more other celestial bodies revolve

especially : the more massive usually brighter component of a binary star system

3

: one of the usually 9 or 10 strong flight feathers on the distal joint of a bird's wing see wing illustration

4

a

: primary color

b

: the sensation of seeing primary colors

5

a

: caucus

b

: an election in which qualified voters nominate or express a preference for a particular candidate or group of candidates for political office, choose party officials, or select delegates for a party convention

6

: the coil that is connected to the source of electricity in an induction coil or transformer

called also primary coil

primary

3 of 3

verb

primaried; primarying; primaries

transitive verb

: to run against (an incumbent) in a primary election

She won the seat in 2020 after successfully primarying a veteran Democrat in the district.

—Brianne Pfannenstiel

—usually used in the passive

But he's apparently going to be primaried—by a couple of people you've never heard of …

—Gail Collins

He served a single term … but was primaried, and soundly defeated, in his bid for reelection.

—Daniel Foster

Synonyms

Adjective

• arch
• big
• capital
• cardinal
• central
• chief
• dominant
• first
• foremost
• grand
• great
• greatest
• highest
• key
• leading
• main
• master
• number one
• No. 1
• numero uno
• overbearing
• overmastering
• overriding
• paramount
• predominant
• preeminent
• premier
• primal
• principal
• prior
• sovereign
• sovran
• supreme

Examples of primary in a Sentence

Adjective

The economy was the primary focus of the debate.

The family is the primary social unit of human life.

The primary function of our schools is to educate our young people.

We just started our primary flight training.

The book is based mainly on primary sources rather than secondary sources.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The primary instructor will be Rudy Christian of Christian & Son, Inc. —Deb Harvell, arkansasonline.com, 27 Oct. 2024

Politicians, community members and loved ones frequently visited Francis at her home in Houston, said her granddaughter and primary caregiver, Ethel Harrison. —Dawn Sawyer, CNN, 26 Oct. 2024

Noun

Haley won about 13% of the GOP vote in the Wisconsin presidential primary despite having already dropped out of the race. —Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 25 Oct. 2024

Between the lines: Some citizens may feel like their vote won't matter in a state where many elections are effectively decided in the primary. —Erin Alberty, Axios, 24 Oct. 2024

Verb

Massey, 44, was endorsed at the Republican Party convention, besting a candidate from Stratford who had enough votes to primary, but chose not to, State GOP Chairman Ben Proto said. —Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 13 July 2024

Enacting a last minute new map, forcing voters to wonder why their community’s representation is inexplicably divided, and scrambling candidates to primary each other for their best chance at reelection, is not in the best interest of voters. —Melody Lopez, New York Daily News, 5 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English primarye, primary "original, earliest," borrowed from Latin prīmārius "of the highest importance or station (of persons), first-rate, chief" (Late Latin, "original, lying at the beginning," Medieval Latin, "foremost, leading"), from prīmus "first, foremost, earliest, of first importance" + -ārius -ary entry 2 — more at prime entry 1

Noun

in part borrowed from Late Latin prīmārius "person leading, leader," noun derivative of Latin prīmārius "of the highest importance or station, chief, primary entry 1"; in part noun derivative of primary entry 1, or shortened from collocations with the adjective; (sense 5) shortened from primary election, earlier primary assembly, translation of French assemblée primaire

Verb

derivative of primary entry 2

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1958, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing primary

• direct primary
• pre-primary
• primary atypical pneumonia
• primary care
• primary cell
• primary color
• primary meristem
• primary root
• primary school
• primary source
• primary syphilis
• primary tooth
• primary wall

Kids Definition

primary

1 of 2 adjective

pri·​ma·​ry ˈprī-ˌmer-ē  ˈprīm-(ə-)rē 

1

: first in time or development : initial, primitive

the primary stage of a civilization

2

a

: of first rank, importance, or value

our primary duties

b

: basic entry 1 sense 1, fundamental

the family is the primary unit of human association

c

: of, relating to, or being one of the principal flight feathers of a bird's wing located on the outer joint

d

: of, relating to, or being the strongest of three levels of stress in pronunciation

3

a

: not made or coming from something else : firsthand

a primary source of information

b

: of, relating to, or being the current or circuit that is connected to the source of electricity in an induction coil or transformer

primary

2 of 2 noun

plural primaries

1

: one of the usually nine or ten strong flight feathers on the outer joint of a bird's wing

2

: primary color

3

: an election in which members of a political party nominate candidates for office

4

: the coil that is connected to the source of electricity in an induction coil or transformer

called also primary coil

Medical Definition

primary

1 of 2 adjective

pri·​ma·​ry ˈprī-ˌmer-ē  ˈprīm-(ə-)rē 

1

a(1)

: first in order of time or development

(2)

: relating to or being the milk teeth and especially the 20 milk teeth in the human set

b(1)

: arising spontaneously : idiopathic

primary insomnia

the absence of any pelvic abnormality confirmed the diagnosis of primary dysmenorrhea

(2)

: being an initial tumor or site especially of cancer

efforts to find the primary tumor have failed

—Raphael Feinmesser

c

: providing primary care

a primary physician

2

: not derivable from other colors, odors, or tastes

3

: belonging to the first group or order in successive divisions, combinations, or ramifications

primary nerves

4

: of, relating to, or being the amino acid sequence in proteins

primary protein structure

compare secondary sense 3, tertiary entry 2 sense 2c

5

: resulting from the substitution of one of two or more atoms or groups in a molecule

especially : being or characterized by a carbon atom having a bond to only one other carbon atom

primary

2 of 2 noun

plural primaries

: primary color

Legal Definition

primary

1 of 2 adjective

pri·​ma·​ry ˈprī-ˌmer-ē, -mə-rē 

1

: of first rank, value, or importance

2

: belonging to the first group or order in successive divisions, combinations, or ramifications

primarily

prī-ˈmer-ə-lē 

adverb

primary

2 of 2 noun

plural primaries

1

: caucus

2

: an election in which qualified voters nominate or express a preference for a particular candidate or group of candidates for political office, choose party officials, or select delegates for a party convention