primary
- 01 B1 Intermediate
adj.the most important or main thing in a situation.
adj.of chief importance; principal or main.
Simple“Our primary goal is to finish the project before the deadline.”
In context“The primary concern for the board of directors was the long-term sustainability of the new environmental policy.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.happening first in a process or series of events.
adj.earliest in time or order of development.
Simple“The researchers looked at the primary causes of the problem.”
In context“The primary stage of the geological survey focused on identifying mineral deposits near the surface.”
- 03 A2 Elementary
adj.relating to the education of children between the ages of about five and eleven.
adj.relating to or denoting the first stage of formal education.
Simple“She has been a primary school teacher for over ten years.”
In context“The government announced a significant increase in funding for primary education to improve literacy rates among young children.”
Synonyms - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.an election where people choose which person will represent a political party in a later election.
n.a preliminary election to appoint delegates or a candidate for a principal election.
Simple“The senator won the primary and will run for president in November.”
In context“Voter turnout during the state primary was unexpectedly high, suggesting a shift in the political landscape before the general election.”
Synonyms - 05 C1 Advanced
v.to run against a politician from your own party to try to take their place.
v.to challenge an incumbent for their party's nomination in a primary election.
Simple“The local leader was worried that a younger candidate might primary him.”
In context“The incumbent representative faced a difficult campaign after a more radical member of the party decided to primary her.”
Synonyms - 06 C1 Advanced
adj.describing the place where a disease or health problem first started.
adj.relating to the initial site of a disease or the first stage of medical care.
Simple“The doctor identified the primary tumor in the patient's lung.”
In context“Primary healthcare providers serve as the first point of contact within the medical system for most patients.”
Antonyms
Usage global primary · primary aim · primary analysis
Borrowed from Latin prīmārius (“of the first (rank); chief, principal; excellent”), from prīmus (first; whence the English adjective prime) + -ārius (whence the English suffix -ary); compare the French primaire, primer, and premier. Doublet of premier.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.