primate

noun

pri·​mate

ˈprī-ˌmāt,

or especially for sense 1

-mət 

1

often capitalized : a bishop who has precedence in a province, a group of provinces, or a nation

2

archaic : one first in authority or rank : leader

3

: any of an order (Primates) of mammals that are characterized especially by advanced development of binocular vision resulting in stereoscopic depth perception, specialization of the hands and feet for grasping, and enlargement of the cerebral hemispheres and that include humans, apes, monkeys, and related forms (such as lemurs and tarsiers)

primateship

ˈprī-ˌmāt-ˌship 

noun

primatial

prī-ˈmā-shəl 

adjective

Examples of primate in a Sentence

the Primate of England and Wales

Recent Examples on the Web

The Fudan team is currently working on long-term safety assessments of their implants in non-human primates and on improving the coupling between the retina and the implant. —ArsTechnica, 12 June 2025

Well, there is a sugar molecule called Alpha-Gal found in all mammals except human beings and a few other primates. —Steve Bender, Southern Living, 4 June 2025

Just as humans tend to compare our species to other primates in positive terms, such as with tool use and intelligence, our primate relatives can share hard-to-explain social dynamics that might harm other species as well. —Lillian Ali, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 May 2025

Many of these primates who are poached to serve as pets do not live to see their first birthday, according to the Oakland Zoo. —Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English primat, primate, borrowed from Anglo-French primat, primas, borrowed from Late Latin prīmāt-, prīmās "chief, superior, chief bishop," noun derivative of Latin prīmāt-, prīmās "of the highest rank, noble," from prīmus "first, foremost" + -āt-, -ās, adjective-forming suffix, originally from place names; (sense 3) after New Latin Primates (order name introduced by linnaeus), plural of Latin prīmās — more at prime entry 1

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for primate

• abate
• airfreight
• await
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate
• borate
• breastplate
• bromate
• casemate

Kids Definition

primate

noun

pri·​mate ˈprī-ˌmāt 

 or especially for 1  -mət

1

: a bishop or archbishop of the highest rank in a district, nation, or church

2

: any of an order of mammals that are characterized by hands and feet that grasp, a relatively large complex brain, and vision in which objects are seen in three dimensions and that includes human beings, apes, monkeys, and related forms (as lemurs and tarsiers)

Medical Definition

primate

noun

pri·​mate ˈprī-ˌmāt 

: any mammal of the order Primates