primary, adj. 1. prime, principal, capital, chief, cardinal, paramount; main, major, meat-and-potatoes, central, head, most important.
2. earliest, pristine, primeval, primal; primitive, primordial, primigenial, aboriginal, autochthonal, autochthonous.
3. original, genetic, genetical, incipient, beginning, nascent, embryonic, embryonal, germinal; initiative, initial, premier, first, opening.
4. basic, fundamental, radical, root, elemental, underlying; introductory, preparatory, proemial; elementary, simple, rudimentary, rudimental, inchoate.
5. immediate, noninterventional; direct, without intermediary, straightforward, not roundabout.
-n. 6. first, alpha, beginning; original, antecedent, precedent, ancestor, precursor; zenith, acme, summit, pinnacle, peak; eminence, senior, elder, presbyter; principal, chief, head; paramount, overlord, sovereign, ruler,
primate, n. 1. Eccles. cardinal, archbishop, metropolitan, bishop, coadjutor, auxiliary, suffragan; prelate, hierarch, high priest, archpriest, Ethiopian Ch. abuna, Eastern Ch. exarch; patriarch, patriarch of Constantinople, patriarch of Alexandria; pope, pontiff, Holy Father, Vicar of Christ, Supreme Pontiff; official, dignitary, overseer, supervisor; (both usu. used as titles) reverence, eminence.
2. mammal, breast-feeder; man, Homo sapiens, biped; anthropoid, ape, monkey, simian, gorilla, orang-utan, chimpanzee, Inf. chimp, baboon, gibbon; lemur, tarsier, marmoset.
prime, adj. 1. primary, principal. See - primary (def. 1).
2. supereminent, preeminent, eminent, Archaic. egregious, illustrious; distinguished, famous, famed, renowned, celebrated, prominent, well-known; star, sovereign, ruling; ranking, leading, top drawer; predominant, hegemonic, prevailing; senior, elder.
3. valuable, precious, expensive, costly, worth a lot.
4. first-rate, first-class, ace, grade A, tops, topflight, Inf. tiptop, Inf. topnotch, Brit. SI. top-hole, second to none; quality, select, choice, picked, selected.
5. supreme, superlative, best, highest, top, crowning, acmic, summital; greatest, maximal, nonpareil, unparalleled, matchless, peerless, utmost, uppermost; transcendent, unsurpassed, unapproached; superior, extraordinary, exceptional, excellent, Inf. dandy, Inf. whiz-bang, Inf. crack, Brit. SI. whizzo; outstanding, great, admirable, remarkable, noteworthy.
6. earliest, pristine, primeval, primal; original, genetic, genetical, incipient, beginning, nascent, embryonic, embryonal, germinal; initiative, initial, premier, first, opening; primitive, primordial, primigenial, aboriginal, autocthonal, autochthonous.
7. basic, fundamental. See - primary (def. 4).
-n. 8. heyday, efflorescence, flower, full flowering, bloom, blossom, blossoming.
9. maturity, adultness, adulthood, manhood, womanhood.
10. peak, pinnacle, summit, apex, acme, zenith, top, the tops; climax, culmination.
-v. 11. prepare, prep, break the ice; ready, make or get ready, break in; educate, instruct, teach, tutor, coach, train, drill; guide, show; supply, equip, fit out or up, Inf. beef up.
12. inform, apprise, notify, tell, brief, prompt, Inf. cue [s.o.] in, Inf. cram, SI. fill in, Inf. give [s.o.] the low-down.
primed, adj. 1. ready, ready for anything, ready to go, all ready, good and ready, in readiness, set, all set, prepared, Inf. prepped, SI. loaded for bear; in the sad-die, booted and spurred, Inf. itching or dying to get started, Inf. rarin' to go, Inf. champing at the bit, Inf psyched or psyched up; (both of a firearm) loaded, cocked.