primary

[PriĀ·ma*ry]

Primary means basically "first." When you vote in a primary, that is the first election in a series. When a matter is of primary concern, it means it's of first importance. Primary school is the first you go to (after nursery school, at least).

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First in order of time or development or in intention; primitive; fundamental; original.

Noun
a preliminary election where delegates or nominees are chosen

Noun
one of the main flight feathers projecting along the outer edge of a bird''s wing

Noun
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"

Adjective S.
not derived from or reducible to something else; basic; "a primary instinct"

Adjective S.
of primary importance; "basic truths"

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Adjective
of first rank or importance or value; direct and immediate rather than secondhand; "primary goals"; "a primary effect"; "primary sources"; "a primary interest"

Adjective S.
of or being the essential or basic part; "an elementary need for love and nurturing"


a.
First in order of time or development or in intention; primitive; fundamental; original.

a.
First in order, as being preparatory to something higher; as, primary assemblies; primary schools.

a.
First in dignity or importance; chief; principal; as, primary planets; a matter of primary importance.

a.
Earliest formed; fundamental.

a.
Illustrating, possessing, or characterized by, some quality or property in the first degree; having undergone the first stage of substitution or replacement.

n.
That which stands first in order, rank, or importance; a chief matter.

n.
A primary meeting; a caucus.

n.
One of the large feathers on the distal joint of a bird's wing. See Plumage, and Illust. of Bird.

n.
A primary planet; the brighter component of a double star. See under Planet.


Primary

Pri"ma*ry , a. [L. primarius, fr. primus first: cf. F. primaire. See Prime, a., and cf. Premier, Primero.] 1. First in order of time or development or in intention; primitive; fundamental; original.
The church of Christ, in its primary institution.
These I call original, or primary, qualities of body.
2. First in order, as being preparatory to something higher; as, primary assemblies; primary schools. 3. First in dignity or importance; chief; principal; as, primary planets; a matter of primary importance. 4. (Geol.) Earliest formed; fundamental. 5. (Chem.) Illustrating, possessing, or characterized by, some quality or property in the first degree; having undergone the first stage of substitution or replacement. Primary alcohol (Organic Chem.), any alcohol which possess the group CH2.OH, and can be oxidized so as to form a corresponding aldehyde and acid having the same number of carbon atoms; -- distinguished from secondary ∧ tertiary alcohols. -- Primary amine (Chem.), an amine containing the amido group, or a derivative of ammonia in which only one atom of hydrogen has been replaced by a basic radical; -- distinguished from secondary ∧ tertiary amines. -- Primary amputation (Surg.), an amputation for injury performed as soon as the shock due to the injury has passed away, and before symptoms of inflammation supervene. -- Primary axis (Bot.), the main stalk which bears a whole cluster of flowers. -- Primary colors. See under Color. -- Primary meeting, a meeting of citizens at which the first steps are taken towards the nomination of candidates, etc. See Caucus. -- Primary pinna (Bot.), one of those portions of a compound leaf or frond which branch off directly from the main rhachis or stem, whether simple or compounded. -- Primary planets. (Astron.) See the Note under Planet. -- Primary qualities of bodies, such are essential to and inseparable from them. -- Primary quills (Zo'94l.), the largest feathers of the wing of a bird; primaries. -- Primary rocks (Geol.), a term early used for rocks supposed to have been first formed, being crystalline and containing no organic remains, as granite, gneiss, etc.; -- called also primitive rocks. The terms Secondary, Tertiary, and Quaternary rocks have also been used in like manner, but of these the last two only are now in use. -- Primary salt (Chem.), a salt derived from a polybasic acid in which only one acid hydrogen atom has been replaced by a base or basic radical. -- Primary syphilis (Med.), the initial stage of syphilis, including the period from the development of the original lesion or chancre to the first manifestation of symptoms indicative of general constitutional infection. -- Primary union (Surg.), union without suppuration; union by the first intention.

Primary

Pri"ma*ry, n.; pl. Primaries . 1. That which stands first in order, rank, or importance; a chief matter. 2. A primary meeting; a caucus. 3. (Zo'94l.) One of the large feathers on the distal joint of a bird's wing. See Plumage, and Illust. of Bird. 4. (Astron.) A primary planet; the brighter component of a double star. See under Planet.

First in order of time or development or in intention; primitive; fundamental; original.

That which stands first in order, rank, or importance; a chief matter.

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Usage Examples

A primary function of art and thought is to liberate the individual from the tyranny of his culture in the environmental sense and to permit him to stand beyond it in an autonomy of perception and judgment.

Hitler and Mussolini were only the primary spokesmen for the attitude of domination and craving for power that are in the heart of almost everyone. Until the source is cleared, there will always be confusion and hate, wars and class antagonisms.

I say this as a young dad seeing children going into primary school: I don't think we should underestimate the formative effect on a child of those first years in primary school.

I believe consistency and orthogonality are tools of design, not the primary goal in design.

I consider myself to have been the bridge between the shotgun and the binoculars in bird watching. Before I came along, the primary way to observe birds was to shoot them and stuff them.

Historically, the family has played the primary role in educating children for life, with the school providing supplemental scaffolding to the family.

I support concrete and progressive immigration reform based on three primary criteria: family reunification, economic contributions, and humanitarian concerns.

A man's primary fantasy is access to a variety of attractive women without the fear of rejection.

Misspelled Form

primary, oprimary, 0primary, lprimary, orimary, 0rimary, lrimary, porimary, p0rimary, plrimary, perimary, p4rimary, p5rimary, ptrimary, pfrimary, peimary, p4imary, p5imary, ptimary, pfimary, preimary, pr4imary, pr5imary, prtimary, prfimary, pruimary, pr8imary, pr9imary, proimary, prjimary, prkimary, prumary, pr8mary, pr9mary, promary, prjmary, prkmary, priumary, pri8mary, pri9mary, priomary, prijmary, prikmary, prinmary, prijmary, prikmary, pri,mary, pri mary, prinary, prijary, prikary, pri,ary, pri ary, primnary, primjary, primkary, prim,ary, prim ary, primqary, primwary, primsary, primzary, primqry, primwry, primsry, primzry, primaqry, primawry, primasry, primazry, primaery, prima4ry, prima5ry, primatry, primafry, primaey, prima4y, prima5y, primaty, primafy, primarey, primar4y, primar5y, primarty, primarfy, primarty, primar6y, primar7y, primaruy, primarhy, primart, primar6, primar7, primaru, primarh, primaryt, primary6, primary7, primaryu, primaryh.

Other Usage Examples

I definitely wanted to earn my freedom. But the primary motivation wasn't making money, but making an impact.

A corporation's primary goal is to make money. Government's primary role is to take a big chunk of that money and give it to others.

Each and every day health centers provide high-quality primary and preventive care to our constituents.

Civilized society is perpetually menaced with disintegration through this primary hostility of men towards one another.

I think that money spoils most things, once it becomes the primary motivating force.

Anyone who has obeyed nature by transmitting a piece of gossip experiences the explosive relief that accompanies the satisfying of a primary need.

As the Nation's primary supporter of research in the physical sciences, the DOE Office of Science led the way in creating a unique system of large-scale, specialized, often one-of-a-kind facilities for scientific discovery.

I had a really creative teacher at primary school. He used to get us doing things such as singing Spandau Ballet in drag in the choir, and I remember loving it.

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