primer
Use Primer in a sentence
ər noun
1.
an elementary book for teaching children to read.
2.
any book of elementary principles: a primer of phonetics.
3.
4.
Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English < Medieval Latin prīmārium, noun use of neuter of prīmārius primary
1350–1400; Middle English < Medieval Latin prīmārium, noun use of neuter of prīmārius primary
00:10
Primer
is always a great word to know.
So is flibbertigibbet. Does it mean:
| the offspring of a zebra and a donkey. |
| a chattering or flighty, light-headed person. |
Dictionary.com Unabridged
noun
1.
a person or thing that primes.
2.
a cap, cylinder, etc., containing a compound that may be exploded by percussion or other means, used for firing a charge of powder.
3.
a first coat or layer of paint, size, etc., given to any surface as a base, sealer, or the like.
adjective
1.
of the first importance; demanding the fullest consideration: a prime requisite.
2.
of the greatest relevance or significance: a prime example.
3.
of the highest eminence or rank: the prime authority on Chaucer.
4.
of the greatest commercial value: prime building lots.
5.
first-rate: This ale is prime!
6.
(of meat, especially of beef) noting or pertaining to the first grade or best quality: prime ribs of beef.
7.
first in order of time, existence, or development; earliest; primitive.
8.
basic; fundamental: the prime axioms of his philosophy.
9.
Mathematics. (of any two or more numbers) having no common divisor except unity: The number 2 is prime to 9.
noun
10.
the most flourishing stage or state.
11.
the time of early manhood or womanhood: the prime of youth.
12.
the period or state of greatest perfection or vigor of human life: a man in his prime.
13.
the choicest or best part of anything.
14.
(especially in the grading of U.S. beef) a grade, classification, or designation indicating the highest or most desirable quality.
15.
the beginning or earliest stage of any period.
16.
the spring of the year.
17.
the first hour or period of the day, after sunrise.
18.
Banking. prime rate.
19.
Ecclesiastical. the second of the seven canonical hours or the service for it, originally fixed for the first hour of the day.
20.
Mathematics.
a.
b.
one of the equal parts into which a unit is primarily divided.
c.
the mark (′) indicating such a division: a, a′.
21.
Fencing. the first of eight defensive positions.
22.
23.
Linguistics. any basic, indivisible unit used in linguistic analysis.
24.
Metallurgy. a piece of tin plate free from visible defects.
verb (used with object)
25.
to prepare or make ready for a particular purpose or operation.
26.
to supply (a firearm) with powder for communicating fire to a charge.
27.
to lay a train of powder to (a charge, mine, etc.).
28.
to pour or admit liquid into (a pump) to expel air and prepare for action.
29.
to put fuel into (a carburetor) before starting an engine, in order to insure a sufficiently rich mixture at the start.
verb (used without object)
33.
(of a boiler) to deliver or discharge steam containing an excessive amount of water.
34.
to harvest the bottom leaves from a tobacco plant.
Origin:
before 1000; 1910–15 for def 5; (adj.) Middle English (< Old French prim) < Latin prīmus first (superlative corresponding to prior prior1); (noun) in part derivative of the adj.; in part continuing Middle English prim(e) first canonical hour, Old English prim < Latin prīma (hōra) first (hour); (v.) apparently derivative of the adj.
before 1000; 1910–15 for def 5; (adj.) Middle English (< Old French prim) < Latin prīmus first (superlative corresponding to prior prior1); (noun) in part derivative of the adj.; in part continuing Middle English prim(e) first canonical hour, Old English prim < Latin prīma (hōra) first (hour); (v.) apparently derivative of the adj.
Related forms
prime·ness, noun
non·prime, adjective
re·prime, verb (used with object), re·primed, re·prim·ing.
self-primed, adjective
un·primed, adjective
Synonyms
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.
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.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
|
Link To primer
Collins
World English Dictionary
prime (praɪm) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | (prenominal) first in quality or value; first-rate |
| 2. | (prenominal) fundamental; original |
| 3. | (prenominal) first in importance, authority, etc; chief |
| 4. | maths |
| a. having no factors except itself or one: x² + x + 3 is a prime polynomial | |
| b. ( | |
| 5. | finance having the best credit rating: prime investments |
| —n | |
| 6. | the time when a thing is at its best |
| 7. | a period of power, vigour, etc, usually following youth (esp in the phrase the prime of life) |
| 8. | the beginning of something, such as the spring |
| 9. | maths short for prime number |
| 10. | linguistics a semantically indivisible element; minimal component of the sense of a word |
| 11. | music |
| a. unison | |
| b. the tonic of a scale | |
| 12. | chiefly RC Church the second of the seven canonical hours of the divine office, originally fixed for the first hour of the day, at sunrise |
| 13. | the first of eight basic positions from which a parry or attack can be made in fencing |
| —vb | |
| 14. | to prepare (something); make ready |
| 15. | (tr) to apply a primer, such as paint or size, to (a surface) |
| 16. | (tr) to fill (a pump) with its working fluid before starting, in order to improve the sealing of the pump elements and to expel air from it before starting |
| 17. | (tr) to increase the quantity of fuel in the float chamber of (a carburettor) in order to facilitate the starting of an engine |
| 18. | (tr) to insert a primer into (a gun, mine, charge, etc) preparatory to detonation or firing |
| 19. | (intr) (of a steam engine or boiler) to operate with or produce steam mixed with large amounts of water |
| 20. | (tr) to provide with facts, information, etc, beforehand; brief |
| [(adj) C14: from Latin prīmus first; (n) C13: from Latin prīma (hora) the first (hour); (vb) C16: of uncertain origin, probably connected with n] | |
| 'primely | |
| —adv | |
| 'primeness | |
| —n | |
| primer1 (ˈpraɪmə) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | an introductory text, such as a school textbook |
| 2. | printing long primer See great primer |
| [C14: via Anglo-Norman from Medieval Latin primārius (liber) a first (book), from Latin prīmārius | |
| primer2 (ˈpraɪmə) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | a person or thing that primes |
| 2. | a device, such as a tube containing explosive, for detonating the main charge in a gun, mine, etc |
| 3. | a substance, such as paint, applied to a surface as a base, sealer, etc |
| [C15: see | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
prime
1399, from L. primus "first," from pre-Italic *prismos, superl. of Old L. pri "before," from PIE base *per- "beyond," *pro- "before" (see pre-). 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. Arithmetical sense (prime number) is from 1570; prime meridian is from 1878. Priming "first coat of paint" is from 1609. Prime time originally (1503) meant "spring time;" broadcasting sense of "peak tuning-in period" is attested from 1964.
prime
O.E. prim "earliest canonical hour" (6 a.m.), from M.L. prima "the first service," from L. prima hora "the first hour" (of the Roman day). Meaning "most vigorous stage" first recorded 1536; specifically "springtime of human life" (often meaning ages roughly 21 to 28) is from 1592.
prime
"to fill, charge, load" (a weapon), 1513, probably from prime (adj.) (q.v.). Primer "explosive cap" is from 1819.
primer
late 14c., "prayer-book," also "school book" (senses not distinguished in Middle Ages, as reading was taught from prayer books), from M.L. primarius, from L. primus "first" (see prime (adj.)). The exact sense is uncertain, and the word may be from prime (n.) on the same notion
as a "Book of Hours." Meaning "small introductory book on any topic" is from 1807.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
To understand why, here's a short primer on how our vision works.
Our nuclear primer explains what that means and how the situation compares to past nuclear accidents.
Then apply a cleaner-primer followed by solvent cement, and connect the fittings again.
As a pro-global warming primer even this author comprehends the current computational limitations.
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