primary


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pri·mar·y

 (prī′mĕr′ē, -mə-rē)
adj.
1. First or highest in rank or importance; principal. See Synonyms at chief.
2.
a. Occurring first in time or sequence; earliest: the primary stages of the project.
b. Of or relating to primary schools.
3.
a. Not derived from anything else; basic or original: The interviews and other primary materials in the study are more interesting than the analysis.
b. Immediate; direct: a primary source of information.
4. Geology Characteristic of or existing in a rock at the time of its formation.
5. Of or relating to a primary color or colors.
6. Linguistics
a. Having a word root or other linguistic element as a basis that cannot be further analyzed or broken down. Used of the derivation of a word or word element.
b. Referring to present or future time. Used as a collective designation for various present and future verb tenses in Latin, Greek, and Sanskrit.
c. Of or relating to primary stress.
7. Electronics Of, relating to, or constituting an inducting current, circuit, or coil.
8. Of, relating to, or designating the main flight feathers projecting along the outer edge of a bird's wing.
9. Of or relating to agriculture, forestry, the industries that extract natural materials from the earth, or the products so obtained: a primary commodity.
10. Chemistry
a. Relating to, or having a carbon atom that is attached to only one other carbon atom in a molecule.
b. Relating to the replacement of only one of several atoms or groups in a compound, such as an amine in which one valence of the functional group is taken by a carbon atom.
11. Botany Of, relating to, or derived from a primary meristem.
n. pl. pri·mar·ies
1.
a. One that is first in time, order, or sequence.
b. One that is first or best in degree, quality, or importance.
c. One that is fundamental, basic, or elemental.
2.
a. A meeting of the registered voters of a political party for the purpose of nominating candidates and for choosing delegates to their party convention.
b. A preliminary election in which the registered voters of a political party nominate candidates for office.
3. A primary color.
4. A primary flight feather.
5. Electronics An inducting current, circuit, or coil.
6. Astronomy
a. A celestial body, especially a star, relative to other bodies in orbit around it.
b. The brighter of two stars that make up a binary star.

[Middle English, from Latin prīmārius, chief, from prīmus, first; see per in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

primary

(ˈpraɪmərɪ)
adj
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. (Education) (prenominal) of or relating to the education of children up to the age of 11
6. (Zoology) (of the flight feathers of a bird's wing) growing from the manus
7. (Electronics)
a. 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.
b. (of a current) flowing in such a circuit. Compare secondary
8. (Commerce)
a. (of a product) consisting of a natural raw material; unmanufactured
b. (of production or industry) involving the extraction or winning of such products. Agriculture, fishing, forestry, hunting, and mining are primary industries. Compare secondary7, tertiary3
9. (Chemistry) chem
a. (of an organic compound) having a functional group attached to a carbon atom that is attached to at least two hydrogen atoms
b. (of an amine) having only one organic group attached to the nitrogen atom; containing the group NH2
c. (of a salt) derived from a tribasic acid by replacement of one acidic hydrogen atom with a metal atom or electropositive group
10. (Linguistics) linguistics
a. derived from a word that is not a derivation but the ultimate form itself. Lovable is a primary derivative of love
b. (of Latin, Greek, or Sanskrit tenses) referring to present or future time. Compare historic3
11. (Geological Science) geology relating to magmas that have not experienced fractional crystallization or crystal contamination
n, pl -ries
12. a person or thing that is first in rank, occurrence, etc
13. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) (in the US)
a. 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
b. a local meeting of voters registered with one party to nominate candidates, select convention delegates, etc
14. (Colours) See primary colour
15. (Zoology) any of the flight feathers growing from the manus of a bird's wing
16. (Electronics) a primary coil, winding, inductance, or current in an electric circuit
17. (Astronomy) astronomy a celestial body around which one or more specified secondary bodies orbit: the sun is the primary of the earth.
[C15: from Latin prīmārius of the first rank, principal, from prīmus first]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

pri•ma•ry

(ˈpraɪ mɛr i, -mə ri)

adj., n., pl. -ries. adj.
1. first in rank or importance; chief: one's primary goal in life.
2. first in order in any series, sequence, etc.
3. first in time; earliest.
4. of or pertaining to primary school: the primary grades.
5. being of the simplest or most basic order of its or their kind: a primary constituent; a primary classification.
6. immediate or direct; not involving intermediate agency: primary perceptions.
7. pertaining to any of the set of flight feathers situated on the outermost segment of a bird's wing.
8. noting or pertaining to the circuit, coil, winding, or current that induces electric current in secondary windings in an induction coil, transformer, or the like.
9. Chem.
a. involving or obtained by replacement of one atom or group.
b. noting or containing a carbon atom united to no other or to only one other carbon atom in a molecule.
10. Gram.
a. (of a derivative) having a root or other unanalyzable element as the underlying form.
b. (of Latin, Greek, or Sanskrit tenses) having reference to present or future time. Compare secondary (def. 7).
n.
11. something that is first in order or importance.
12.
a. a preliminary election in which voters of each political party nominate candidates for office, party officers, etc.
b. a local meeting of party members to select candidates or delegates; caucus.
14. a primary feather.
15.
a. a body in relation to a smaller body or smaller bodies revolving around it, as a planet in relation to its satellites.
b. the brighter of the two stars comprising a double star. Compare companion 1 (def. 7).
[1425–75; late Middle English < Latin prīmārius of the first rank. See prime, -ary]
pri′ma•ri•ness, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

pri·mar·y

(prī′mĕr′ē)
1. Relating to a primary color.
2. Botany Relating to plant tissues in the tips of roots and shoots whose cells divide to cause the plant to grow lengthwise.
The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

primary

A meeting of the voters in a political party to choose delegates for a convention or nominees for office, or a preliminary election to nominate candidates for office.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.primary - a preliminary election where delegates or nominees are chosenprimary - a preliminary election where delegates or nominees are chosen
election - a vote to select the winner of a position or political office; "the results of the election will be announced tonight"
direct primary - a primary where voters directly select the candidates who will run for office
2.primary - one of the main flight feathers projecting along the outer edge of a bird's wing
flight feather, quill feather, pinion, quill - any of the larger wing or tail feathers of a bird
3.primary - (astronomy) a celestial body (especially a star) relative to other objects in orbit around it
astronomy, uranology - the branch of physics that studies celestial bodies and the universe as a whole
celestial body, heavenly body - natural objects visible in the sky
4.primary - coil forming the part of an electrical circuit such that changing current in it induces a current in a neighboring circuitprimary - coil forming the part of an electrical circuit such that changing current in it induces a current in a neighboring circuit; "current through the primary coil induces current in the secondary coil"
coil - reactor consisting of a spiral of insulated wire that introduces inductance into a circuit
transformer - an electrical device by which alternating current of one voltage is changed to another voltage
Adj.1.primary - of first rank or importance or value; direct and immediate rather than secondary; "primary goals"; "a primary effect"; "primary sources"; "a primary interest"
essential - basic and fundamental; "the essential feature"
first - preceding all others in time or space or degree; "the first house on the right"; "the first day of spring"; "his first political race"; "her first baby"; "the first time"; "the first meetings of the new party"; "the first phase of his training"
original - being or productive of something fresh and unusual; or being as first made or thought of; "a truly original approach"; "with original music"; "an original mind"
secondary - being of second rank or importance or value; not direct or immediate; "the stone will be hauled to a secondary crusher"; "a secondary source"; "a secondary issue"; "secondary streams"
2.primary - not derived from or reducible to something else; basic; "a primary instinct"
underived - not derived; primary or simple
3.primary - most important element; "the chief aim of living"; "the main doors were of solid glass"; "the principal rivers of America"; "the principal example"; "policemen were primary targets"; "the master bedroom"; "a master switch"
important, of import - of great significance or value; "important people"; "the important questions of the day"
4.primary - of or being the essential or basic part; "an elementary need for love and nurturing"
basic - pertaining to or constituting a base or basis; "a basic fact"; "the basic ingredients"; "basic changes in public opinion occur because of changes in priorities"
5.primary - of primary importance
essential - basic and fundamental; "the essential feature"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

primary

adjective
2. basic, essential, radical, fundamental, ultimate, underlying, elemental, bog-standard (informal) our primary needs of air, food and water
3. major, chief, main, principal, key, foremost the primary cause of the disease
major secondary, subsequent, ensuing
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

primary

adjective
1. Most important, influential, or significant:
2. Preceding all others in time:
3. Not derived from something else:
4. Arising from or going to the root or source:
5. Marked by the absence of any intervention:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
إبْتِدائيأَوَلِيّالأوَّل، الأهَم
hlavníprvořadýzákladní
grund-hoved-primærvigtigst
ابتدایی
ensimmäinenensisijainenesivaalitperus-tärkein
primaran
alsófokúáltalános iskolaielőválasztáselsőelsõdleges
fyrstur, megin-grunn-, undirstöîu-
第一の
주요한
prvoradý
glaven
primär
ที่สำคัญที่สุด
quan trọng nhất

primary

[ˈpraɪmərɪ]
A. ADJ
1. (= chief, main) [reason, purpose, source] → principal
our primary concern is the well-being of our childrennuestra mayor or principal preocupación es el bienestar de nuestros hijos
that is not the primary reasonésa no es la razón principal
2. (= fundamental) → primordial
to be of primary importanceser de primordial importancia
3. (= first) → primario
4. (esp Brit) (Scol) (= elementary) → primario
B. N
1. (US) (also primary election) → elección f primaria, primaria f
2. (= colour) → color m primario
C. CPD primary colour Ncolor m primario
primary education N (esp Brit) → enseñanza f primaria, educación f primaria
primary election N (US) → elección f primaria, primaria f
primary products NPLproductos mpl primarios
primary school N (Brit) → escuela f primaria (US) → escuela f primaria (de primer ciclo) (6-9 años)
primary storage Nalmacenamiento m primario
primary teacher N (also primary school teacher) (Brit) → profesor(a) m/f de enseñanza primaria, maestro/a m/f
PRIMARIES
Las elecciones primarias (primaries) sirven para preseleccionar a los candidatos de los partidos demócrata (Democratic) y republicano (Republican) durante la campaña que precede a las elecciones a Presidente de Estados Unidos. Se inician en New Hampshire y tienen lugar en 35 estados entre los meses de febrero y junio. El número de votos obtenidos por cada candidato determina el número de delegados que votarán en el congreso general (National Convention) de julio y agosto, en el que se decide el candidato definitivo de cada partido.
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

primary

[ˈpraɪməri]
adj
(= first in importance) [purpose, concern, responsibility,] → principal(e); [source, cause, reason] → principal(e) often before n
(= early) [stage, tumour] → primaire; [version] → premier/ière after n
[teacher, pupil] → du primaire
n
(US) (= election) → primaire f
(= tumour) → tumeur f primaireprimary care primary health care nsoins mpl primaires, soins mpl de santé primairesprimary colour ncouleur f primaireprimary education nenseignement m primaireprimary election nélection f primaireprimary school n (British)école f primaire
She's still at primary school → Elle est encore à l'école primaire.primary teacher primary schoolteacher nprofesseur(e) m/f des écoles, professeur mf des écoles
She's a primary schoolteacher → C'est une professeure des écoles or une professeur des écoles.
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

primary

adj (= chief, main)Haupt-, wesentlich, primär (form); that is our primary concerndas ist unser Hauptanliegen or unsere Hauptsorge; of primary importancevon größter Bedeutung, von äußerster Wichtigkeit; the primary meaning of a worddie Grundbedeutung eines Wortes; primary source of incomeHaupteinnahmequelle f; at primary level (Brit Sch) → in der Grundschule, auf Grundschulniveau
n
(= colour)Grundfarbe f
(esp Brit: = primary school) → Grundschule f
(US: = election) → (innerparteiliche) Vorwahl

primary

:
primary care
n (Med) → Gesundheitsfürsorge fauf kommunaler Ebene
primary cell
nPrimärzelle f
primary colour, (US) primary color
nGrundfarbe f
primary education
nGrundschul(aus)bildung f
primary election
n (US) → (innerparteiliche) Vorwahl
primary feather
nHandschwinge f
primary industry
nGrund(stoff)industrie f; (agriculture etc) → Urindustrie f, → primäre Industrie (form); (= main industry)Hauptindustrie f
primary institution
nUreinrichtung f
primary producer
nLieferant(in) m(f)von Rohmaterial
primary product
nPrimärprodukt nt; (= main product)Hauptprodukt nt
primary school
n (esp Brit) → Grundschule f
primary school teacher
n (esp Brit) → Grundschullehrer(in) m(f)
primary stress
nHauptton m
primary teacher
n (esp Brit) → Grundschullehrer(in) m(f)
primary winding
nPrimärwindung f
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

primary

[ˈpraɪmərɪ]
1. adj (chief, main, gen) → principale, primario/a
of primary importance → di primaria or fondamentale importanza
2. n (Am) (election) → primarie fpl
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

prime1

(praim) adjective
1. first or most important. the prime minister; a matter of prime importance.
2. best. in prime condition.
noun
the best part (of a person's etc life, usually early middle age). He is in his prime; the prime of life.
ˈprimary adjective
1. first or most important. his primary concern.
2. of the first level or stage. a primary school.
ˈprimarily (praiˈmerəli) adverb
chiefly; in the first place. I wrote the play primarily as a protest, and only secondarily as entertainment.
primary colours
(of pigments, but not of light) those colours from which all others can be made, ie red, blue and yellow.
prime minister
the chief minister of a government.
prime number
a number that can only be divided without a remainder by itself and 1, eg 3, 5, 7, 31.
ˈprime time noun
the evening hours, the time when most viewers are watching television. The programme will be broadcast during prime time.
adjective
prime-time advertising.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

primary

أَوَلِيّ hlavní primær anfänglich πρωτεύων primario tärkein primaire primaran principale 第一の 주요한 primair primær podstawowy primário первоначальный primär ที่สำคัญที่สุด ilk quan trọng nhất 主要的
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009

pri·mar·y

a. inicial, primario-a, rel. al contacto o atención de un caso en su principio;
___ physicianmédico de cabecera, facultativo que atiende al paciente inicialmente, esp. un pediatra o médico de familia.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

primary

adj primario
English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
References in classic literature ?
Substance, in the truest and primary and most definite sense of the word, is that which is neither predicable of a subject nor present in a subject; for instance, the individual man or horse.
I will tell you: in consequence of their limitation they take immediate and secondary causes for primary ones, and in that way persuade themselves more quickly and easily than other people do that they have found an infallible foundation for their activity, and their minds are at ease and you know that is the chief thing.
--On an eternal ground, on hard primary rock, on this highest, hardest, primary mountain-ridge, unto which all winds come, as unto the storm- parting, asking Where?
As, in an inquiry into every other subject, it is necessary to separate the different parts of which it is compounded, till we arrive at their first elements, which are the most minute parts thereof; so by the same proceeding we shall acquire a knowledge of the primary parts of a city and see wherein they differ from each other, and whether the rules of art will give us any assistance in examining into each of these things which are mentioned.
In the constitution of the judiciary department in particular, it might be inexpedient to insist rigorously on the principle: first, because peculiar qualifications being essential in the members, the primary consideration ought to be to select that mode of choice which best secures these qualifications; secondly, because the permanent tenure by which the appointments are held in that department, must soon destroy all sense of dependence on the authority conferring them.
There we have command and power in their primary form.
But ploughed up to the primary rock of the matter, the two great principles laid down in the twin whaling laws previously quoted, and applied and elucidated by Lord Ellenborough in the above cited case; these two laws touching Fast-Fish and Loose-Fish, I say, will, on reflection, be found the fundamentals of all human jurisprudence; For notwithstanding its complicated tracery of sculpture, the Temple of the Law, like the Temple of the Philistines, has but two props to stand on.
They have likewise discovered two lesser stars, or satellites, which revolve about Mars; whereof the innermost is distant from the centre of the primary planet exactly three of his diameters, and the outermost, five; the former revolves in the space of ten hours, and the latter in twenty-one and a half; so that the squares of their periodical times are very near in the same proportion with the cubes of their distance from the centre of Mars; which evidently shows them to be governed by the same law of gravitation that influences the other heavenly bodies.
The prosperity of commerce is now perceived and acknowledged by all enlightened statesmen to be the most useful as well as the most productive source of national wealth, and has accordingly become a primary object of their political cares.
This is right and pleasing, for it restores society in so far to its primary basis, when a man's biography is conveyed in his gift, and every man's wealth is an index of his merit.
These remarks are of course confined to the first appearance of the peculiarity, and not to its primary cause, which may have acted on the ovules or male element; in nearly the same manner as in the crossed offspring from a short-horned cow by a long-horned bull, the greater length of horn, though appearing late in life, is clearly due to the male element.
As all men have some access to primary truth, so all have some art or power of communication in their head, but only in the artist does it descend into the hand.