early 15c., "of the first order," from Latin primarius "of the first rank, chief, principal, excellent," from primus "first" (see prime (adj.)). Meaning "first in order" is from 1802. Primary color is first recorded 1610s (at first the seven of the spectrum, later the three from which others can be made); primary school is 1802, from French école primaire.
The Paris journals ... are full of a plan, brought forward by Fourcroy, for the establishment of primary schools, which is not interesting to an English reader. [London "Times," April 27, 1802]
Related: Primarily.
primary (n.)
1861, American English, short for primary election (1792, with reference to France; in a U.S. context from 1835); earlier primary caucus (1821).
中文解释
1、prim- + -ary.2、含义：of the first order, of the first rank, chief, principal.
实用例句
1. It is nearly always women who are the primary care givers.
从事初级保健护理工作的几乎都是女性。
来自柯林斯例句
2. His misunderstanding of language was the primary cause of his other problems.
他对语言的误解是引起其他问题的主要原因。
来自柯林斯例句
3. Britain did not introduce compulsory primary education until 1880.
直到1880年，英国才开始实行初等义务教育。
来自柯林斯例句
4. He won the election because the Democrats self-destructed in their primary.
民主党在初选中自毁长城，所以才让他赢得了选举。
来自柯林斯例句
5. Mrs Steele was head of Didcot's C of E primary school.