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primacy

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noun pri·ma·cy \ ˈprī-mə-sē \

Definition of primacy

1 :the state of being first (as in importance, order, or rank) :preeminence
  • the primacy of intellectual and esthetic over materialistic values
  • —T. R. McConnell
2 :the office, rank, or preeminence of an ecclesiastical primate

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Examples of primacy in a Sentence

  1. Civil law took primacy over religious law.

  2. She has established primacy in her field of study.

Recent Examples of primacy from the Web

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'primacy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of primacy

14th century

primacy Synonyms

Synonyms
distinction, dominance, noteworthiness, paramountcy, preeminence, preponderance, preponderancy, prepotency, prestigiousness, eminence, superiority, supremacy, transcendence
Related Words
celebrity, fame, famousness, glory, honor, kudos, renown, reputation, repute; megastardom, stardom, superstardom; greatness, illustriousness, nobleness, notableness; ascendance (also ascendence), ascendancy (also ascendency), authority, domination, dominion; influence, power, prestige, weight; infamy, notoriety
Near Antonyms
insignificance; inferiority, mediocrity; obscureness, obscurity

PRIMACY Defined for English Language Learners

primacy

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noun

Definition of primacy for English Language Learners

  • : the state of being most important or strongest

Learn More about primacy

  1. Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for primacy Britannica English: Translation of primacy for Arabic speakers

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Examples: primacy in a Sentence