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premier

 - 4 dictionary results

pre⋅mier

  [pri-meer, -myeer, pree-meer]
–noun
1. the head of the cabinet in France or Italy or certain other countries; first minister; prime minister.
2. a chief officer.
–adjective
3. first in rank; chief; leading.
4. first in time; earliest; oldest.
Use premier in a Sentence
Origin:
1400–50; late ME primer, primier, premer (adj.) < AF primer, premer and MF premier, primier lit., first < L prīmārius of the first rank; see primary

Related forms:
pre⋅mier⋅ship, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
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pre·mier   (prĭ-mîr', -myîr', prē'mîr)   
adj.  

  1. First in status or importance; principal or chief: an architect of premier rank.

  2. First to occur or exist; earliest.

n.   (prĭ-mîr')

  1. A prime minister.

  2. A chief administrative officer, as of a Canadian province.


[Middle English primier, from Old French, from Latin prīmārius, from prīmus, first; see per1 in Indo-European roots.]
pre·mier'ship' n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Cultural Dictionary

premier

The head of government in many nations. A premier's position is usually the same as that of a prime minister. The chiefs of government of the provinces of Canada are called premiers.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

premier  (adj.)
c.1470, from M.Fr. premier "first, chief," from L. primarius "of the first rank, chief" (see primary). The noun in the political sense (1711) is shortening of premier minister (1686). In U.S., premier formerly occasionally was applied to the Secretary of State (1855-c.1900).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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