primer

From Latin primarius & primarium (“prayer book”) possibly via Anglo-Norman primer (“prayer book”), from prima (“prime the liturgical hour and office”) + -arius and -arium (“forming related objects”). Its use for schoolbooks derived from the late medieval and early modern use of such prayer books to teach reading.

• (UK) enPR: prīʹmə, IPA^(key): /ˈpɹaɪ.mə(ɹ)/

• Audio (UK)

  (file)

• (US) enPR: prĭmʹər, IPA^(key): /ˈpɹɪ.mɚ/
• (US, irregular, but common; borrowed from Etymology 2): enPR: prīmʹər, IPA^(key): /ˈpɹaɪmɚ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪmə(ɹ), -ɪmə(ɹ)

primer (plural primers)

1. (historical, Catholicism ecclesiastical) A prayer or devotional book intended for laity, initially an abridgment of the breviary and manual including the hours of the Virgin Mary, 15 gradual and 7 penitential psalms, the litany, the placebo and dirige forming the office of the dead, and the commendations.
2. (historical, Protestant ecclesiastical) Similar works issued in England for private prayer in accordance with the Book of Common Prayer.
3. A children's book intended to teach literacy: how to read, write, and spell.

   1545, The A.B.C. Primers

4. An introductory text on any subject, particularly basic concepts.
5. (New Zealand) An elementary school class; an elementary school student.

• (devotional book): book of hours, prayer book

prime +‎ -er.

• (UK) enPR: prīʹmə, IPA^(key): /ˈpɹaɪ.mə(ɹ)/

• Audio (UK)

  (file)

• (US) enPR: prīmʹə, IPA^(key): /ˈpɹaɪmɚ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪmə(ɹ)

primer (countable and uncountable, plural primers)

1. Any substance or device, such as priming wire or blasting cap, used to ignite gunpowder or other explosive.
   • 1912, United States Army Ordnance Dept, Handbook of the 2.95-inch mountain gun mate/riel and pack outfit, →ISBN, page 17:

     The percussion primer, known as the “ 110-grain percussion primer,” contains an igniting charge of 95 grains of black powder in addition to the essential elements of a percussion primer.

   • 2003, Sam Fadala, The Gun Digest Blackpowder Loading Manual, →ISBN, page 73:

     Therefore, the shotgun primer is quite self- contained. It consists of a separate metal cup called a battery cup that contains the primer itself. That's why it is considered a two-piece primer.

   • 2016, Steve Sieberts, Gun Digest Shooter's Guide to Competitive Pistol Shooting, →ISBN, page 224:

     Take care when handling primers, especially ensure that your fingers are free of oil or dirt. Oil can affect the detonating properties of the primer pellet, and can be the cause of misfires if too much oil gets into the primer.

2. (obsolete, rare) A person who primes explosives.
3. A substance used to prime wood, metal, etc. in preparation for painting.
4. A layer of such a substance.
5. A layer of makeup that goes beneath the foundation; undermakeup.
   • 1989, Stan Place & ‎Bobbi Ray Madry, The Art and Science of Professional Makeup, →ISBN, page 95:

     The undermakeup (primer) should be allowed to dry-set for 30 seconds. Apply foundation over the primer with a sponge using light, careful strokes to blend. Undermakeups come in cream form, sponge-on wands, or sponge-on cream, and as a lotion.

6. (obsolete, rare) A person who primes wood, metal, etc.
7. (biochemistry) A molecule which initiates the synthesis of an enzyme, (especially) a single-stranded nucleic acid molecule which initiates DNA replication.
8. (medicine, zoology) A pheromone which interacts first with the endocrine system.
9. A device used to prime an internal combustion engine with gasoline, (especially) in airplanes.
10. A person who prunes trees.

• primary
• prime

From Anglo-Norman primer (“first”), from Latin prīmārius (“first”)

primer (not comparable)

1. (obsolete) First in time, initial, early.
   • Drayton

     the primer English kings

2. (obsolete) First in importance, premier.
3. (obsolete, rare) First in position, foremost.

• primer fine
• primer seizin

From Old Occitan [Term?], from Latin prīmārius.

• (Balearic, Central) IPA^(key): /pɾiˈme/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /pɾiˈmeɾ/
• Rhymes: -e(ɾ)

primer (feminine primera, masculine plural primers, feminine plural primeres)

1. first
2. (mathematics) prime (having no divisor except itself and 1):

When primer is the ordinal number of a century or of a regnal name of a monarch or pope, it is written using Roman numerals following the noun. Thus Joan Primer is written Joan I.

For most fractional numbers, the ordinal number is used to indicate the denominator of the fraction. Since 1 is never the denominator of a proper fraction, primer is not normally used to form fractions. Exceptions to this rule include mig (“half”), terç (“third”), quarter (“quarter”), milionèsim (“millionth”), bilionèsim (“billionth”), ....

The feminine form of the ordinal is usually used as the collective noun for a set of like objects of that size. Primera is not used for a set of 1, nor is there is any other term for the concept Exceptions to the usual rule include parell (“set of 2”), qüern (“set of 4”), centenar (“set of 100”), grossa (“set of 144”), miler (“set of 1000”), and milenar (“1000”).

• nombre primer

primer

1. first; before anything else

• “primer” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

• IPA^(key): /pʁi.me/

primer

1. to dominate, to be dominant over
2. to win (a prize)
3. to prevail, take precedent

• “primer” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

From German primär, from French primaire, from Latin primarius.[1]

• IPA^(key): [ˈprimɛr]
• Hyphenation: pri‧mer

primer (comparative primerebb, superlative legprimerebb)

1. primary

   primer feszültség ― primary voltage

primer m (oblique and nominative feminine singular primere)

1. Alternative form of premier

primer

1. Alternative form of premier

primer m (oblique plural primers, nominative singular primers, nominative plural primer)

1. Alternative form of premier
2. (Anglo-Norman) primer (hymn book)

• primer on the Anglo-Norman On-Line Hub

• (Ijekavian): prímjer

• IPA^(key): /prǐːmer/
• Hyphenation: pri‧mer

prímer m (Cyrillic spelling при́мер)

1. example, instance
2. model, paragon
3. precedence

• IPA^(key): /priˈméːr/
• Tonal orthography: primẹ̑r

primér m inan (genitive priméra, nominative plural priméri)

1. example (something representative of a group)

• na prímer

• IPA^(key): /pɾiˈmeɾ/

primer m (apocopate, standard form primero)

1. (before the noun) Apocopic form of primero (first)

   El primer hijo - “the first child”

• The form primer is only used before and within the noun phrase of a modified masculine singular noun. In other positions, the standard form primero is used instead.