1. primary. 7. Prime, primeval, primitive have reference to that which is first. Prime means first in numerical order or order of development: prime meridian; prime cause. Primeval means belonging to the first or earliest ages: the primeval forest. Primitive suggests the characteristics of the origins or early stages of a development, and hence implies the simplicity of original things: primitive tribes, conditions, ornaments, customs, tools.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2017.
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Examples from the Web for primer Expand
The Daily Beast offers a primer on the best bowl games coming up.
These pieces act as sort of a primer for the stronger, more ambitious work to come.
Nine years ago he dazzled audiences with his $7,000 time-travel flick ‘primer .’
What emerges is as complex and textured as any novel while providing a primer on the use of power in a democracy.
Ahead of ‘Star Trek Into Darkness,’ Sujay Kumar offers a primer on the voyages of the Starship Enterprise.
They read the ground, the streams, the sagebrush, and the horizon as a primer set in fat black type.
But this morning he was at his desk copying from his primer on to his slate.
Emmy Lou George Madden Martin
In case either lock or primer should entirely fail, recourse will be had to the friction-primer s or to the spur-tubes.
But then he had been in the primer Class from the beginning.
Emmy Lou George Madden Martin
Four times did he bury his primer in the earth; and four times, after giving him a sound thrashing, did they buy him a new one.
British Dictionary definitions for primer Expand
late 14c. "first in order," from Latin primus "first, the first, first part," figuratively "chief, principal; excellent, distinguished, noble" (source also of Italian and Spanish primo ), from pre-Italic *prismos. superlative of PIE *preis- "before," from root *per- (1) "beyond, through" (see per ).
Meaning "first in importance" is from 1610s in English; that of "first-rate" is from 1620s. Arithmetical sense (e.g. prime number ) is from 1560s; prime meridian is from 1878. Prime time originally (c.1500) meant "spring time;" broadcasting sense of "peak tuning-in period" is attested from 1961.
"earliest canonical hour" (6 a.m.), Old English prim. from Medieval Latin prima "the first service," from Latin prima hora "the first hour" (of the Roman day). Meaning "most vigorous stage" first recorded 1530s; specifically "springtime of human life" (often meaning ages roughly 21 to 28) is from 1590s. In classical Latin, noun uses of the adjective meant "first part, beginning; leading place."
"to fill, charge, load" (a weapon), 1510s, probably from prime (adj.). Meaning "to cover with a first coat of paint or dye" is from c.1600. To prime a pump (c.1840) meant to pour water down the tube, which saturated the sucking mechanism and made it draw up water more readily. Related: Primed ; priming .
"earliest canonical hour" (6 a.m.), Old English prim. from Medieval Latin prima "the first service," from Latin prima hora "the first hour" (of the Roman day). Meaning "most vigorous stage" first recorded 1530s; specifically "springtime of human life" (often meaning ages roughly 21 to 28) is from 1590s. In classical Latin, noun uses of the adjective meant "first part, beginning; leading place."
"to fill, charge, load" (a weapon), 1510s, probably from prime (adj.). Meaning "to cover with a first coat of paint or dye" is from c.1600. To prime a pump (c.1840) meant to pour water down the tube, which saturated the sucking mechanism and made it draw up water more readily. Related: Primed ; priming .
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Idioms and Phrases with primer Expand