What is another word for primary?
Synonyms for primary
ˈpraɪ mɛr i, -mə ripri·ma·ry
This thesaurus page includes all potential synonyms, words with the same meaning and similar terms for the word primary.
English Synonyms and Antonyms
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, uncreatedAntonyms:
adventitious, exotic, foreign, fresh, late, modern, new, novel, recent
Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms
primary
Synonyms:
first, original, earliest, elementary, chief, principal, important, leading, primitive, pristineAntonyms:
secondary, subordinate, posterior, unimportant, inferior, subsequent, later
Princeton's WordNet
primary, primary electionnoun
a preliminary election where delegates or nominees are chosen
Synonyms:
primary coil, primary feather, primary quill, primary election, primary windingAntonyms:
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, indirectprimary, 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 windingAntonyms:
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)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 windingAntonyms:
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, collateralprimary 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 windingAntonyms:
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, unimportantprimaryadjective
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, incidentprimaryadjective
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, indirectchief(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, secondaryelementary, 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, uncomplicatedAntonyms:
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, supplementarybasal, primaryadjective
of primary importance
Synonyms:
main(a), chief(a), base, elementary, master(a), principal(a), elemental, radical, primary(a), basalAntonyms:
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
Dictionary of English Synonymes
primaryadjective
Synonyms:
primitive, aboriginal, original, primordial, primeval, pristine, firstprimaryadjective
primaryadjective
Synonyms:
elementary, lowest
PPDB, the paraphrase database
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, MD
primary
Synonyms:
Primary cancer
Words popularity by usage frequency
ranking | word | |
---|---|---|
#83 | first | |
#371 | old | |
#373 | main | |
#569 | key | |
#573 | important | |
#638 | major | |
#691 | original | |
#933 | simple | |
#945 | basic | |
#988 | base | |
#1243 | primary | |
#1438 | input | |
#1445 | senior | |
#1452 | trial | |
#1465 | leading | |
#1617 | core | |
#1771 | parent | |
#1793 | chief | |
#1970 | initial | |
#2108 | prime | |
#2131 | essential | |
#2290 | native | |
#2758 | junior | |
#2831 | principal | |
#3218 | elementary | |
#3283 | ancient | |
#4428 | fundamental | |
#5048 | preliminary | |
#6895 | indigenous | |
#6963 | radical | |
#7983 | aboriginal | |
#9914 | earliest | |
#10591 | primitive | |
#11669 | paramount | |
#14313 | grassroots | |
#18555 | basal | |
#18670 | elemental | |
#19297 | pristine | |
#20616 | primal | |
#26134 | overriding | |
#34667 | overarching | |
#37470 | primaries | |
#38702 | primordial | |
#42969 | patriarchal | |
#43534 | uncomplicated | |
#63365 | primeval | |
#68565 | principale | |
#71076 | immemorial | |
#138707 | primaria | |
#147533 | primaire | |
#158527 | uncreated | |
#158805 | unproblematic |
How to use primary in a sentence?
On the Confederate flag issue, he wanted to be out early making a strong statement — saying this is the right thing to do, irregardless of the South Carolina primary, he sees an opportunity for himself to be the voice of reason in the chaos.
The city recognizes that the PPP contractor most likely has two primary objectives, maximize land value and deliver venue obligations at least cost, the city must be diligent in making sure the Games obligations are fully met.
They are equal opportunity housing, meaning they do not discriminate based on age. However, it is designed for senior citizens, as that is the primary age group residing here, i am the only teenager in sight.
Our primary goal in engaging prescribed fires and wildfires is to ensure the safety of the communities involved. Our employees who are engaging in prescribed fire operations are part of these communities across the nation, the communities we serve, and our employees deserve the very best tools and science supporting them as we continue to navigate toward reducing the risk of severe wildfires in the future.
Someone like Huckabee is also doing it for conservative primary voters.
Translations for primary
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- ابتدائي, أوليArabic
- primària, primari, fonamental, bàsicCatalan, Valencian
- primárníCzech
- primærDanish
- primär, HandschwingeGerman
- πρωτοβάθμιος, πρωτογενήςGreek
- primaria, primario, básicoSpanish
- ابتداییPersian
- siipisulka, ensimmäinen, ekaluokka, ensisijainen, ala-, ensimmäinen luokka, perus-, ensi-, perustaFinnish
- prioritaire, primaireFrench
- ite gàirdeanach, prìomh ite sgèithScottish Gaelic
- मुख्यHindi
- elsődleges, elsőHungarian
- primarioItalian
- 最初Japanese
- 본래Korean
- primærNorwegian
- voornaamsteDutch
- primærNorwegian Nynorsk
- primárioPortuguese
- первичныйRussian
- primärSwedish
- หลักThai
- первиннийUkrainian
- 主Chinese
Get even more translations for primary »
Translation
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"primary." Synonyms.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 30 Apr. 2024. <https://www.synonyms.com/synonym/primary>.
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