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Adjective: primary  'prI,me-ree [N. Amer], prI-mu-ree [Brit]
  1. Of first rank, importance or value; direct and immediate rather than secondary
    "primary goals"; "a primary effect"; "primary sources"; "a primary interest"
     
  2. Not derived from or reducible to something else; basic
    "a primary instinct"
     
  3. Most important element
    "policemen were primary targets";
    - chief, main, principal, master
     
  4. Of or being the essential or basic part
    - elementary, elemental, basal
Noun: primary  'prI,me-ree [N. Amer], prI-mu-ree [Brit]
  1. A preliminary election where delegates or nominees are chosen
    - primary election
     
  2. One of the main flight feathers projecting along the outer edge of a bird's wing
    - primary feather, primary quill
     
  3. (astronomy) a celestial body (especially a star) relative to other objects in orbit around it
     
  4. Coil forming the part of an electrical circuit such that changing current in it induces a current in a neighbouring circuit
    "current through the primary coil induces current in the secondary coil";
    - primary coil, primary winding
Verb: primary  'prI,me-ree [N. Amer], prI-mu-ree [Brit]
Usage: US
  1. Take part in or win a primary election

Derived forms: primaried, primaries, primarying

See also: 1st, basic, capital, direct, essential, first, firsthand, first-string, important, of import, original, particular, special, underived

Type of: celestial body, coil, election, flight feather, heavenly body, pinion, poll, quill, quill feather

Antonym: secondary

Part of: transformer

Encyclopedia: Primary, secondary, and tertiary education