"primary" meaning in English

See primary in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

IPA: /ˈpraɪməri/ [UK], /ˈpraɪmɛri/ [US], /ˈpraɪməri/ Audio: en-us-primary.ogg [US] Forms: primary [positive], [comparative], [superlative]
enPR: prīʹmĕr-ē [US], prīʹmə-rē Etymology: prime + -ary Etymology templates: {{ety-suffix|prime|ary}} prime + -ary Head templates: {{adj}} [POS TABLE]
  1. first.
    Sense id: simple-primary-en-adj-Dqx9d2yQ Categories (other): Attributive modifiers
  2. most important.
    Sense id: simple-primary-en-adj-P1iNvePw Categories (other): Attributive modifiers
  3. most basic, simplest.
    Sense id: simple-primary-en-adj-qUzkJVs~ Categories (other): Attributive modifiers
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Categories (other): Terms suffixed with -ary

Noun

IPA: /ˈpraɪməri/ [UK], /ˈpraɪmɛri/ [US], /ˈpraɪməri/ Audio: en-us-primary.ogg [US] Forms: primary [singular], primaries [plural]
enPR: prīʹmĕr-ē [US], prīʹmə-rē Etymology: prime + -ary Etymology templates: {{ety-suffix|prime|ary}} prime + -ary Head templates: {{noun|primary|primaries}} [POS TABLE]
  1. A primary is a kind of election held by a political party to choose the people it prefers for public office.
    Sense id: simple-primary-en-noun-by8OjGJR
  2. Primary means an elementary school.
    Sense id: simple-primary-en-noun-1Oj47qQz
  3. Primary means the first grade in an elementary school.
    Sense id: simple-primary-en-noun-lg5aQY0T
  4. Primary means a base, something that is irreducible.
    Sense id: simple-primary-en-noun-0F60tn2b
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Categories (other): Terms suffixed with -ary
{
  "categories": [
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      "kind": "other",
      "name": "Terms suffixed with -ary",
      "parents": [],
      "source": "w"
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      "form": "primary",
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        "positive"
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      "tags": [
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    },
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  "lang_code": "en",
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          "kind": "other",
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      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Primary education covers infant schooling from the ages of 5–7 or 8, then junior schooling concluding at the ages of 10 or 11."
        },
        {
          "text": "Most patients are managed in primary care but the vast majority of research publications derive from hospitals."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "first."
      ],
      "id": "simple-primary-en-adj-Dqx9d2yQ",
      "raw_tags": [
        "usually before a noun"
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    {
      "categories": [
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          "kind": "other",
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        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The company had shops in buildings whose primary purpose was as office space."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "most important."
      ],
      "id": "simple-primary-en-adj-P1iNvePw",
      "raw_tags": [
        "usually before a noun"
      ]
    },
    {
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        {
          "kind": "other",
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        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The primary colors are red, blue, and yellow."
        }
      ],
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        "most basic, simplest."
      ],
      "id": "simple-primary-en-adj-qUzkJVs~",
      "raw_tags": [
        "usually before a noun"
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  "sounds": [
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      "ipa": "/ˈpraɪməri/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "sampa": "/\"praIm@ri/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "enpr": "prīʹmĕr-ē",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈpraɪmɛri/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "sampa": "/\"praImEri/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "enpr": "prīʹmə-rē",
      "raw_tags": [
        "or"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈpraɪməri/",
      "raw_tags": [
        "or"
      ]
    },
    {
      "raw_tags": [
        "or"
      ],
      "sampa": "/\"praIm@ri/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-primary.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "primary"
}

{
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  "etymology_text": "prime + -ary",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "primary",
      "tags": [
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "primaries",
      "tags": [
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      ]
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  "head_templates": [
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  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Arlen Specter defeated Pat Toomey in the Republican primary election for U.S. Senate."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A primary is a kind of election held by a political party to choose the people it prefers for public office."
      ],
      "id": "simple-primary-en-noun-by8OjGJR",
      "raw_tags": [
        "countable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "glosses": [
        "Primary means an elementary school."
      ],
      "id": "simple-primary-en-noun-1Oj47qQz",
      "raw_tags": [
        "countable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Primary means the first grade in an elementary school."
      ],
      "id": "simple-primary-en-noun-lg5aQY0T"
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "glosses": [
        "Primary means a base, something that is irreducible."
      ],
      "id": "simple-primary-en-noun-0F60tn2b",
      "raw_tags": [
        "countable"
      ]
    }
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  "sounds": [
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      "ipa": "/ˈpraɪməri/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
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    {
      "sampa": "/\"praIm@ri/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
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      "enpr": "prīʹmĕr-ē",
      "tags": [
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      ]
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    {
      "ipa": "/ˈpraɪmɛri/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "sampa": "/\"praImEri/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "enpr": "prīʹmə-rē",
      "raw_tags": [
        "or"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈpraɪməri/",
      "raw_tags": [
        "or"
      ]
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      "raw_tags": [
        "or"
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      "sampa": "/\"praIm@ri/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-primary.ogg",
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      ]
    }
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}
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  "etymology_text": "prime + -ary",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "primary",
      "tags": [
        "positive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "–",
      "tags": [
        "comparative"
      ]
    },
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  "lang_code": "en",
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        "Attributive modifiers"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Primary education covers infant schooling from the ages of 5–7 or 8, then junior schooling concluding at the ages of 10 or 11."
        },
        {
          "text": "Most patients are managed in primary care but the vast majority of research publications derive from hospitals."
        }
      ],
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        "first."
      ],
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        "usually before a noun"
      ]
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      "categories": [
        "Attributive modifiers"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The company had shops in buildings whose primary purpose was as office space."
        }
      ],
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        "most important."
      ],
      "raw_tags": [
        "usually before a noun"
      ]
    },
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      "categories": [
        "Attributive modifiers"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The primary colors are red, blue, and yellow."
        }
      ],
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        "most basic, simplest."
      ],
      "raw_tags": [
        "usually before a noun"
      ]
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  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈpraɪməri/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
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    {
      "sampa": "/\"praIm@ri/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
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    {
      "enpr": "prīʹmĕr-ē",
      "tags": [
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    {
      "ipa": "/ˈpraɪmɛri/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "sampa": "/\"praImEri/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "enpr": "prīʹmə-rē",
      "raw_tags": [
        "or"
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    {
      "ipa": "/ˈpraɪməri/",
      "raw_tags": [
        "or"
      ]
    },
    {
      "raw_tags": [
        "or"
      ],
      "sampa": "/\"praIm@ri/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-primary.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "primary"
}

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  ],
  "etymology_text": "prime + -ary",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "primary",
      "tags": [
        "singular"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "primaries",
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        "plural"
      ]
    }
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  "lang_code": "en",
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        "Countable nouns"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Arlen Specter defeated Pat Toomey in the Republican primary election for U.S. Senate."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A primary is a kind of election held by a political party to choose the people it prefers for public office."
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      "categories": [
        "Countable nouns"
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        "Primary means an elementary school."
      ],
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        "countable"
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    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Primary means the first grade in an elementary school."
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "Countable nouns"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Primary means a base, something that is irreducible."
      ],
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        "countable"
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  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈpraɪməri/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "sampa": "/\"praIm@ri/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "enpr": "prīʹmĕr-ē",
      "tags": [
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      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈpraɪmɛri/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "sampa": "/\"praImEri/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "enpr": "prīʹmə-rē",
      "raw_tags": [
        "or"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈpraɪməri/",
      "raw_tags": [
        "or"
      ]
    },
    {
      "raw_tags": [
        "or"
      ],
      "sampa": "/\"praIm@ri/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-primary.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "primary"
}

Download raw JSONL data for primary meaning in English (3.1kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-01-15 from the simplewiktionary dump dated 2025-01-01 using wiktextract (b941637 and 4230888). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

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