primary - Dictionary Definition : Vocabulary.com

There's an interesting alternate system for counting first, second, third, etc. up to tenth. It's primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary, quinary, senary, ... primary Primarymeansbasically"first."Whenyouvoteinaprimary,thatisthefirstelectioninaseries.Whenamatterisofprimaryconcern,itmeansit'soffirstimportance.Primaryschoolisthefirstyougoto(afternurseryschool,atleast). There'saninterestingalternatesystemforcountingfirst,second,third,etc.uptotenth.It'sprimary,secondary,tertiary,quaternary,quinary,senary,septenary,octonary,nonary,anddenary.There'salsoawordfortwelfth,duodenary,thoughthat—alongwithallthewordsaftertertiary—israrelyused. Definitionsofprimary adjective offirstrankorimportanceorvalue;directandimmediateratherthansecondary “primarygoals” “a primaryeffect” “primarysources” “a primaryinterest” Synonyms: essential basicandfundamental first precedingallothersintimeorspaceordegree original beingorproductiveofsomethingfreshandunusual;orbeingasfirstmadeorthoughtof capital ofprimaryimportance direct beinganimmediateresultorconsequence firsthand receiveddirectlyfromasource first-string beingaregularmemberofateam original (ofe.g.information)notsecondhandorbywayofsomethingintermediary particular,special firstandmostimportant seemoreseeless Antonyms: secondary beingofsecondrankorimportanceorvalue;notdirectorimmediate inessential,unessential notbasicorfundamental unoriginal notoriginal;notbeingorproductiveofsomethingfreshandunusual alternate,alternative,substitute servingorusedinplaceofanother auxiliary,subsidiary,supplemental,supplementary functioninginasupportingcapacity collateral accompanying;concomitant indirect notasadirecteffectorconsequence secondhand derivedfromwhatisprimaryororiginal;notfirsthand second-string beingareplacementorsubstituteforaregularmemberofateam standby readyforemergencyuse thirdhand derivedfromwhatisprimaryororiginalbytwointermediatesteps tributary (ofastream)flowingintoalargerstream substitute,utility capableofsubstitutinginanyofseveralpositionsonateam vicarious experiencedatsecondhand showmoreantonyms... adjective ofprimaryimportance synonyms: basal essential basicandfundamental adjective mostimportant “policemenwere primarytargets” synonyms: chief,main,master,principal important,ofimport ofgreatsignificanceorvalue adjective oforbeingtheessentialorbasicpart synonyms: elemental,elementary basic pertainingtoorconstitutingabaseorbasis adjective notderivedfromorreducibletosomethingelse;basic “a primaryinstinct” Synonyms: underived notderived;primaryorsimple noun apreliminaryelectionwheredelegatesornomineesarechosen synonyms: primaryelection seemoreseeless types: directprimary aprimarywherevotersdirectlyselectthecandidateswhowillrunforoffice closedprimary aprimaryinwhichonlyregisteredmembersofaparticularpoliticalpartycanvote openprimary aprimaryinwhichanyregisteredvotercanvote(butmustvoteforcandidatesofonlyoneparty) typeof: election avotetoselectthewinnerofapositionorpoliticaloffice noun oneofthemainflightfeathersprojectingalongtheouteredgeofabird'swing synonyms: primaryfeather,primaryquill seemoreseeless typeof: flightfeather,pinion,quill,quillfeather anyofthelargerwingortailfeathersofabird noun (astronomy)acelestialbody(especiallyastar)relativetootherobjectsinorbitaroundit seemoreseeless typeof: celestialbody,heavenlybody anaturalobjectvisibleinthesky noun coilformingthepartofanelectricalcircuitsuchthatchangingcurrentinitinducesacurrentinaneighboringcircuit “currentthroughthe primarycoilinducescurrentinthesecondarycoil” synonyms: primarycoil,primarywinding seemoreseeless typeof: coil reactorconsistingofaspiralofinsulatedwirethatintroducesinductanceintoacircuit WordFamily Signupnow(it’sfree!) Whetheryou’reateacheroralearner,Vocabulary.comcanputyouoryourclassonthepathtosystematicvocabularyimprovement. Getstarted ForEveryone PlaytheChallenge VocabularyLists Dictionary CommonlyConfusedWords JoinaVocabularyJam TestPrep ForEducators Classroom&SiteLicense Pricing ContactSales SuccessStories TeachingResources ProfessionalDevelopment Research Help HelpArticles/FAQ How-toVideos Webinars ContactSupport PrivacyPolicy TermsofUse Leaderboards VocabularyBowl BowlLeaders Today'sLeaders WeeklyLeaders MonthlyLeaders Connect Vocabulary.comBlog News&Events Telluswhatyouthink OurStory OurMission Team/Jobs Partnerships MyAccount Login Signup MyAccount LogOut MyProfile Schools&Teachers MyClasses MySATRoadmap MyTOEFLRoadmap Assignments&Activities MyLists FindaListtoLearn... CreateaNewList... MyProgress WordsI'mLearning MyTroubleWords WordsI'veMastered MyAchievements UserAdministration UserAuthentication MyAccount Copyright©2021Vocabulary.com,Inc.,adivisionofIXLLearning•AllRightsReserved.