Primates

[prahy-mey-teez]

Pri·ma·tes

[prahy-mey-teez]
noun
the order comprising the primates.

Origin:
1765–75; < Neo-Latin, plural of Latin prīmās one of the first, chief, principal. See primate

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Primates is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
a fool or simpleton; ninny.
a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.
Dictionary.com Unabridged

pri·mate

[prahy-meyt or, especially for 1, prahy-mit]
noun
1.
Ecclesiastical. an archbishop or bishop ranking first among the bishops of a province or country.
2.
any of various omnivorous mammals of the order Primates, comprising the three suborders Anthropoidea (humans, great apes, gibbons, Old World monkeys, and New World monkeys), Prosimii (lemurs, loris, and their allies), and Tarsioidea (tarsiers), especially distinguished by the use of hands, varied locomotion, and by complex flexible behavior involving a high level of social interaction and cultural adaptability.
3.
Archaic. a chief or leader.

Origin:
1175–1225; Middle English primat dignitary, religious leader < Late Latin prīmāt- (stem of prīmās), noun use of Latin prīmās of first rank, derivative of prīmus first (see prime); (def. 2) taken as singular of Neo-Latin Primates Primates, as if ending in -ate1

pri·ma·tal, adjective, noun
pri·ma·tial [prahy-mey-shuhl] , pri·mat·i·cal [prahy-mat-i-kuhl] , adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
primate   (prī'māt')  Pronunciation Key 
Any of various mammals of the order Primates, having a highly developed brain, eyes facing forward, a shortened nose and muzzle, and opposable thumbs. Primates usually live in groups with complex social systems, and their high intelligence allows them to adapt their behavior successfully to different environments. Lemurs, monkeys, apes, and humans are primates.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary
primates [(preye-mayts)]

The order of mammals that includes monkeys, apes, and human beings. Primates are distinguished from other animals in that they generally possess limbs capable of performing a variety of functions, hands and feet adapted for grasping (including opposable thumbs), flattened snouts, and other anatomical features. (See Linnean classification.)

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
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