primacy
noun
pri·ma·cy
ˈprī-mə-sē 
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
T. R. McConnell2
: the office, rank, or preeminence of an ecclesiastical primate
Examples of primacy in a Sentence
Civil law took primacy over religious law.
She has established primacy in her field of study.
Recent Examples on the Web
The 2019 Business Roundtable statement abandoning shareholder primacy for stakeholder capitalism formalized what successful executives had already recognized: The days when charismatic founders could mandate cultural transformation through executive decree had ended.
—Gabriel Snyder, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 July 2025
Carney is not alone in calling for a systemic change from shareholder primacy to stakeholder capitalism, which goes beyond valuing profits to valuing not only current and future generations, but also communities and the planet.
—Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025
Ullmann instead draws on the category of the novel to embrace the gaps, to insist on their primacy in any remembered history.
—Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 15 July 2025
The party had not sought to distinguish itself from the Conservatives on the basis of ideology: both agreed on the necessity to rein in state spending, the primacy of the special relationship with Washington, and the need to cut migration.
—Oliver Eagleton, Time, 5 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for primacy
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Gabriel Snyder, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 July 2025
Carney is not alone in calling for a systemic change from shareholder primacy to stakeholder capitalism, which goes beyond valuing profits to valuing not only current and future generations, but also communities and the planet.
—Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025
Ullmann instead draws on the category of the novel to embrace the gaps, to insist on their primacy in any remembered history.
—Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 15 July 2025
The party had not sought to distinguish itself from the Conservatives on the basis of ideology: both agreed on the necessity to rein in state spending, the primacy of the special relationship with Washington, and the need to cut migration.
—Oliver Eagleton, Time, 5 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for primacy
Cite this Entry
“Primacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/primacy. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
primacy
noun
pri·ma·cy
ˈprī-mə-sē
plural primacies
1
: the state of being first (as in time, place, or rank)
2
: the office or dignity of a bishop of the highest rank
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