Synonyms for primary
ˈpraɪ mɛr i, -mə ripri·ma·ry

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. primary

   Aboriginal (Latin ab, from, origo, origin) signifies pertaining to the aborigines or earliest known inhabitants of a country in the widest sense, including not merely human beings but inferior animals and plants as well. Autochthonic (Greek autos, self, and chthōn, earth) signifies sprung from the earth, especially from the soil of one's native land. Primeval (Latin primum, first, and ævum, age), signifies strictly belonging to the first ages, earliest in time, but often only the earliest of which man knows or conceives, immemorial. Aboriginal, autochthonic, and primeval combine the meanings of ancient and original; aboriginal inhabitants, autochthonic races, primeval forests. Prime and primary may signify either first in time, or more frequently first in importance; primary has also the sense of elementary or preparatory; we speak of a prime minister, a primary school. Primal is chiefly poetic, in the sense of prime; as, the primal curse. Primordial is first in an order of succession or development; as, a primordial leaf. Primitive frequently signifies having the original characteristics of that which it represents, as well as standing first in time; as, the primitive church. Primitive also very frequently signifies having the original or early characteristics without remoteness in time. Primeval simplicity is the simplicity of the earliest ages; primitive simplicity may be found in retired villages now. Pristine is an elegant word, used almost exclusively in a good sense of that which is original and perhaps ancient; as, pristine purity, innocence, vigor. That which is both an original and natural product of a soil or country is said to be indigenous; that which is actually produced there is said to be native, though it may be of foreign extraction; humming-birds are indigenous to America; canaries may be native, but are not indigenous. Immemorial refers solely to time, independently of quality, denoting, in legal phrase, "that whereof the memory of man runneth not to the contrary;" as, an immemorial custom; an immemorial abuse. Compare OLD.

   Compare synonyms for NEW.

   Synonyms:
   aboriginal, ancient, autochthonic, immemorial, indigenous, native, old, original, patriarchal, primal, prime, primeval, primitive, primordial, pristine, uncreated

   Antonyms:
   adventitious, exotic, foreign, fresh, late, modern, new, novel, recent

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. primary

   Synonyms:
   first, original, earliest, elementary, chief, principal, important, leading, primitive, pristine

   Antonyms:
   secondary, subordinate, posterior, unimportant, inferior, subsequent, later

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. primary, primary electionnoun

   a preliminary election where delegates or nominees are chosen

   Synonyms:
   primary coil, primary feather, primary quill, primary election, primary winding

   Antonyms:
   supplemental, standby, secondhand, alternative, subsidiary, thirdhand, unimportant, derived, supplementary, substitute(a), vicarious, utility(a), secondary, substitute, unessential, alternate, tributary, incident, inessential, auxiliary, collateral, incidental, second-string, indirect

2. primary, primary feather, primary quillnoun

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

   Synonyms:
   primary coil, primary feather, primary quill, primary election, primary winding

   Antonyms:
   auxiliary, unessential, secondhand, secondary, vicarious, standby, substitute(a), collateral, alternative, substitute, tributary, alternate, unimportant, incidental, second-string, inessential, supplementary, thirdhand, derived, supplemental, incident, indirect, subsidiary, utility(a)

3. primarynoun

   (astronomy) a celestial body (especially a star) relative to other objects in orbit around it

   Synonyms:
   primary coil, primary feather, primary quill, primary election, primary winding

   Antonyms:
   utility(a), vicarious, alternate, incidental, substitute, secondhand, unimportant, substitute(a), alternative, incident, subsidiary, secondary, second-string, tributary, supplemental, thirdhand, indirect, auxiliary, derived, inessential, supplementary, unessential, standby, collateral

4. primary coil, primary winding, primaryadjective

   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"

   Synonyms:
   primary coil, primary feather, primary quill, primary election, primary winding

   Antonyms:
   auxiliary, unessential, subsidiary, tributary, vicarious, second-string, indirect, incidental, utility(a), collateral, secondary, secondhand, alternative, substitute(a), supplementary, alternate, derived, supplemental, incident, thirdhand, standby, substitute, inessential, unimportant

5. primaryadjective

   of first rank or importance or value; direct and immediate rather than secondary

   "primary goals"; "a primary effect"; "primary sources"; "a primary interest"

   Synonyms:
   main(a), chief(a), basal, master(a), principal(a), elemental, elementary, primary(a)

   Antonyms:
   secondhand, supplementary, standby, utility(a), tributary, substitute, alternate, incidental, collateral, auxiliary, alternative, vicarious, supplemental, indirect, second-string, thirdhand, subsidiary, substitute(a), secondary, unessential, derived, unimportant, inessential, incident

6. primaryadjective

   not derived from or reducible to something else; basic

   "a primary instinct"

   Synonyms:
   main(a), chief(a), basal, master(a), principal(a), elemental, elementary, primary(a)

   Antonyms:
   secondary, unessential, vicarious, incident, supplemental, secondhand, collateral, substitute, second-string, alternative, auxiliary, thirdhand, standby, alternate, inessential, subsidiary, unimportant, tributary, incidental, substitute(a), utility(a), supplementary, derived, indirect

7. chief(a), main(a), primary(a), principal(a), master(a)adjective

   most important element

   "the chief aim of living"; "the main doors were of solid glass"; "the principal rivers of America"; "the principal example"; "policemen were primary targets"; "the master bedroom"; "a master switch"

   Antonyms:
   incidental, vicarious, tributary, standby, alternative, incident, subsidiary, supplemental, indirect, supplementary, collateral, utility(a), substitute(a), derived, inessential, alternate, secondhand, second-string, auxiliary, unessential, thirdhand, substitute, unimportant, secondary

8. elementary, elemental, primaryadjective

   of or being the essential or basic part

   "an elementary need for love and nurturing"

   Synonyms:
   main(a), chief(a), simple, master(a), elementary, unproblematic, principal(a), elemental, primary(a), basal, uncomplicated

   Antonyms:
   alternate, thirdhand, secondary, secondhand, tributary, standby, utility(a), supplemental, collateral, indirect, inessential, unessential, incident, substitute(a), alternative, substitute, derived, second-string, incidental, subsidiary, auxiliary, unimportant, vicarious, supplementary

9. basal, primaryadjective

   of primary importance

   Synonyms:
   main(a), chief(a), base, elementary, master(a), principal(a), elemental, radical, primary(a), basal

   Antonyms:
   tributary, indirect, derived, subsidiary, incident, substitute, supplementary, secondary, vicarious, auxiliary, second-string, unessential, unimportant, secondhand, supplemental, incidental, substitute(a), utility(a), alternate, standby, alternative, collateral, inessential, thirdhand

Matched Categories

1. • Astronomy
   • Celestial Body
   • Election
   • Flight Feather

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. primaryadjective

   Synonyms:
   primitive, aboriginal, original, primordial, primeval, pristine, first

2. primaryadjective

   Synonyms:
   chief, principal, leading

3. primaryadjective

   Synonyms:
   elementary, lowest

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "primary":

   elementary, main, principal, major, first, primaire, basic, key, initial, paramount, overriding, parent, preliminary, primaria, junior, senior, prime, fundamental, grassroots, primary-school, grass-roots, front-line, primordial, core, chief, primaires, leading, essential, overarching, trial, resource-based, input, pre-secondary, principale, primaries

Concise Medical Dictionary, by Joseph C Segen, MDRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. primary

   Synonyms:
   Primary cancer

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How to use primary in a sentence?

1. Alan Whone:

   The primary outcome was disappointing.

2. Gregory Bentley:

   The police department's primary duty is to protect the hostage, shooting while Misty was in the vehicle violates every standard practice of police protocol.

3. David Riley:

   With the prospect of the ECB buying, we will have some stability in the market and some of the pent-up supply will get done. Investors will look to primary to source paper, add on more risk and put cash balances to work.

4. The NCEA:

   Declines in enrollment at the primary grade levels may lead to a delayed but significant impact on secondary school enrollment within the next five to 10 years, proving potentially disastrous for secondary school viability.

5. Cal Fire:

   Fire will become active with primary movement to the east due to the west winds. Steep drainages will aid the spread with the up canyon/up slope winds and heavy fuels.