primary
US Politics: 1. Also called primary election. a preliminary election in which voters of each party nominate candidates for office, party officers, etc. Compare closed primary (a direct primary in which only persons meeting tests of party membership may vote), direct primary (a primary in which members of a party nominate its candidates by direct vote), indirect primary (a primary in which members of a party elect delegates to a party convention that in turn elects the party's candidates), open primary (a direct primary election in which voters need not meet a test of party membership). 2. a meeting of the voters of a political party in an election district for nominating candidates for office, choosing delegates for a convention, etc.; caucus. 3. to challenge or oppose (the incumbent) in a primary election, usually for strong ideological reasons (often used in passive constructions): The congressman was primaried by a more conservative candidate. 4. to run as a candidate in a primary election. 5. a preliminary election in which the voters of a state or region choose a party's convention delegates, nominees for office, etc. See also closed primary, direct primary, open primary. 6. a local meeting of voters registered with one party to nominate candidates, select convention delegates, etc. Full name: primary election. 7. of or relating to a primary election: a primary candidate. 8. caucus. 9. an election in which qualified voters nominate or express a preference for a particular candidate or group of candidates for political office, choose party officials, or select delegates for a party convention. adjective: 1. first or highest in rank or importance; chief; principal: his primary goals in life. 2. first in order in any series, sequence, etc. 3. first in time; earliest; primitive. 4. of, relating to, or characteristic of primary school: the primary grades. 5. constituting or belonging to the first stage in any process. 6. of the nature of the ultimate or simpler constituents of which something complex is made up: Animals have a few primary instincts. 7. original; not derived or subordinate; fundamental; basic. 8. original; not derived or subordinate; fundamental; basic. 9. (in scholarly studies) pertaining to or being a firsthand account, original data, etc., or based on direct knowledge, as in primary source; primary research. 10. immediate or direct, or not involving intermediate agency: primary perceptions. 11. first in importance, degree, rank, etc. 12. first in position or time, as in a series. 13. fundamental; basic.14. being the first stage; elementary. 15. (prenominal) of or relating to the education of children up to the age of 11. 16. Being first or highest in importance; principal.. 17. Occurring first in time or sequence; earliest.. 18. Preliminary to a later stage of development; primordial; embryonic.. 19. Immediate; direct.. 20. : first in order of time or development : primitive: the primary stage of civilization; the primary lesion of a disease. 21. : of first rank, importance, or value : principal: the primary purpose. 22. : basic, fundamental: security is a primary need. 23. : expressive of present or future time: primary tense. 24. : direct, firsthand: primary sources of information. 25. : preparatory to something else in a continuing process: primary instruction. 26. : of or relating to a primary school: primary education. noun: 1. something that is first in order, rank, or importance. 2. a person or thing that is first in rank, occurrence, etc. 3. : something that stands first in rank, importance, or value : fundamental —usually used in plural. Examples:
The economy was the primary focus of the debate. The family is the primary social unit of human life. Related Words: prime, dominant, leading, initial, constitutional, vital, immediate, underlying, fundamental, elementary, main, essential, principal, simple, primitive, central, chief, first, direct, earliest. Synonyms: main, prime. original; primeval. beginning, opening. arch, big, capital, cardinal, central, chief, dominant, first, foremost, grand, great, greatest, highest, key, leading, main, master, number one (also No. 1), numero uno, overbearing, overmastering, overriding, paramount, predominant, preeminent, premier, primal, principal, prior, sovereign (also sovran), supreme. Synonym Study: see elementary. Antonyms: last, final. Origin: 1425–75; late Middle English (adj.) < Latin prīmārius of the first rank. See prime, -ary. C15: from Latin prīmārius of the first rank, principal, from prīmus first. First Known Use: Adjective: 15th century. Noun: 1656. History and Etymology: Adjective: Middle English, from Late Latin primarius basic, primary, from Latin, principal, from primus. Source 1, Source 2.
The economy was the primary focus of the debate. The family is the primary social unit of human life. Related Words: prime, dominant, leading, initial, constitutional, vital, immediate, underlying, fundamental, elementary, main, essential, principal, simple, primitive, central, chief, first, direct, earliest. Synonyms: main, prime. original; primeval. beginning, opening. arch, big, capital, cardinal, central, chief, dominant, first, foremost, grand, great, greatest, highest, key, leading, main, master, number one (also No. 1), numero uno, overbearing, overmastering, overriding, paramount, predominant, preeminent, premier, primal, principal, prior, sovereign (also sovran), supreme. Synonym Study: see elementary. Antonyms: last, final. Origin: 1425–75; late Middle English (adj.) < Latin prīmārius of the first rank. See prime, -ary. C15: from Latin prīmārius of the first rank, principal, from prīmus first. First Known Use: Adjective: 15th century. Noun: 1656. History and Etymology: Adjective: Middle English, from Late Latin primarius basic, primary, from Latin, principal, from primus. Source 1, Source 2.