primary
[adjective]
Synonyms:
- chief, cardinal, first, greatest, highest, main, paramount, prime, principal
- elementary, introductory, rudimentary, simple

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Antonyms: secondary
Contrasted words: derivate, derivational, derivative, derived, borrowed, secondhand
Related Words: first, firsthand, basic, foundational, fundamental, principal, underlying

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English Thesaurus: main, chief/principal, major, key, number one, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. pri‧ma‧ry¹ S2 W2 AC /ˈpraɪməri $ -meri/ adjective
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Latin; Origin: primarius, from primus; ⇒ prime¹]

1. [usually before noun] most important Synonym : main:
Our primary concern is to provide the refugees with food and health care.
Many of the villagers rely on fishing as their primary source of income.
primary purpose/aim/objective
Their primary objective is to make money.
Personal safety is of primary importance.

2. [only before noun] especially British English relating to the education of children between 5 and 11 years old Synonym : elementary American English ⇒ secondary:
a primary teacher
primary education
teaching at primary level

3. happening or developing before other things:
a primary tumour
Counselling was given as a primary therapy for depression.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. primary² noun (plural primaries) [countable]

1. a primary election

2. British English a primary school

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

main larger or more important than all the others:
the main entrance of the building
the main reason for his decision
chief/principal most important. Chief and principal are more formal than main, and are often used in written English:
Coffee is the country’s principal export.
What is the company’s chief objective?
major very important or serious:
Smoking is a major cause of heart disease.
Street crime is becoming a major problem.
key most important, or the one that everything or everyone else depends on:
Education is likely to be a key issue in the election campaign.
Hooper was a key member of the team.
Diet is key.
number one especially spoken most important or best - this phrase sounds a little informal and it is used especially in spoken English:
Reliability is the number one priority.
the number one cause of death
He is still in the number one position.
primary most important - used especially about the most important aim, role, cause, or concern. Primary is more formal than main:
The primary aim of the project was to help students develop their communication skills.
Security is our primary concern.
The primary function of the university was considered to be the teaching of ‘the great cultural disciplines’.
prime very important or most important - used especially about the most important reason, cause, or aim, or about the most likely target or suspect. Prime is more formal than main:
Their prime objective is to increase profits for their shareholders.
Tourists are prime targets for theft and robbery.
core most important - used especially about the things that people should pay most attention to:
the core skills of reading and writing
He wants the company to focus on its core business - advertising.
The party’s core values are individual freedom and reducing the amount of government bureaucracy.
central most important and having more influence than anything else:
The U.S. played a central role in the peace negotiations.
a central theme of the book
The central question is, why are people still so attached to their cars?
predominant most common, typical, or important:
Yellow was the predominant colour everywhere.
High arched windows are a predominant feature in English churches.
New York still has a predominant role in the contemporary art world.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲