primary
primary Lexical Profile
primary Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Of chief importance; principal or main.
"The primary goal of the new policy is to improve workplace safety."
Earliest in time or order of development; original or fundamental.
"Historians rely heavily on primary sources such as diaries and official letters from the era."
Relating to education for young children, typically between the ages of five and eleven.
"She taught mathematics and reading at a local primary school for twenty years."
• noun
American A preliminary election in which voters of a political party nominate candidates for office.
"Voter turnout in the state primary was higher than analysts had predicted."
A primary color, from which other colors can be obtained by mixing.
"The artist used bold primaries to give the mural a vibrant, energetic feel."
One of the large outer flight feathers of a bird's wing, attached to the manus.
"You can identify the hawk in flight by the dark tips on its outer primaries."
• verb
American To challenge an incumbent politician in a primary election.
"Several party members threatened to primary the senator if he voted against the bill."
• Rhymes for primary
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the 15th century from Latin 'primarius' ('of the first rank, chief, principal'), derived from 'primus' ('first').