primate

1 of 2

noun (1)

pri·​mate

ˈprī-ˌmāt

or especially for sense 1

-mət 

1

often Primate : 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

primateship

2 of 2

noun (2)

pri·​mate·​ship

1

: the office, dignity, or position of a primate

2

: primacy

Examples of primate in a Sentence

Noun (1)

the Primate of England and Wales

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In primates, the results aren’t as clear, although long-running studies point to health benefits. — Rowan Jacobsen, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026

Five mammal groups – primates, carnivores, whales, elephants and rhinos – received 86% of available funding, despite accounting for only one-third of threatened mammal projects. — David Ginsburg, The Conversation, 20 Oct. 2026

Their bond, like all maternal bonds in primates, is incredibly difficult to break. — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026

Chimpanzee trekking offers a completely different primate experience, while the ancient rainforest itself is breathtaking. — Leora Rothschild, Travel + Leisure, 10 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

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

Noun (1)

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