primary
Top of hierarchy
The adjective primary has two main meanings that often overlap: first in importance and first in order.
Primary education is education for young children.
A primary reason, goal, or objective is the main one.
In this meaning, primary is often contrasted with secondary.
A primary election is one that happens before a general election, to choose candidates.
Such elections are often just called primaries.
The outermost feathers on a bird’s wing are primaries and the three primary colors (red, yellow, blue) may also be called primaries.
Fundamentally necessary
- basicFundamental in nature
- coreCentral essential portion
- underlyingExisting beneath the surface
- foundationalServing as a base
principal · main · central · key · cardinal · paramount · chief · foremost
Name's opening letter
- originalFirst or inventive
- earliestFirst in time
- beginningInitial stage of something
- inauguralFirst in office
preliminary · opening · starting · introductory · prior · preceding · antecedent · nascent
Of first principles
- schoolPlace of instruction
- gradeClassification by rank
- kindergartenEarly schooling for youngsters
- classroomEducational instruction space
teacher · student · curriculum · reading · arithmetic · recess · playground · homework
Those who cast ballots
- caucusParty selection meeting
- precinctAdministrative jurisdiction zone
- candidatesThose seeking selection
- ballotVoting document
nomination · delegate · campaign · turnout · frontrunner · runoff · plurality · registered
Primary color, warm
- bluePrimary color; also sad
- yellowHue between green and orange
- pigmentColor-imparting material
- hueColor's specific character
mixing · additive · subtractive · cyan · magenta · RGB · spectrum · saturation
Without intermediary
- originalFirst or inventive
- documentWritten or electronic file
- eyewitnessOne who saw events
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
artifact · manuscript · archive · evidence · research · unfiltered · direct · raw
essential
Fundamentally necessary
- basicFundamental in nature
- coreCentral essential portion
- underlyingExisting beneath the surface
foundational · principal · main · central · key · cardinal · paramount · chief · foremost · predominant
initial
Name's opening letter
inaugural · preliminary · opening · starting · introductory · prior · preceding · antecedent · nascent · incipient
elementary
Of first principles
- schoolPlace of instruction
- gradeClassification by rank
- kindergartenEarly schooling for youngsters
classroom · teacher · student · curriculum · reading · arithmetic · recess · playground · homework · lesson
voters
Those who cast ballots
- caucusParty selection meeting
- precinctAdministrative jurisdiction zone
- candidatesThose seeking selection
ballot · nomination · delegate · campaign · turnout · frontrunner · runoff · plurality · registered · partisan
red
Primary color, warm
hue · mixing · additive · subtractive · cyan · magenta · RGB · spectrum · saturation · tint
firsthand
Without intermediary
- originalFirst or inventive
- documentWritten or electronic file
- eyewitnessOne who saw events
testimony · artifact · manuscript · archive · evidence · research · unfiltered · direct · raw · authentic
- civicsballot, election, ballots, Bill of Rights, branches of government
- politicsdemocracy, campaigning, campaigns, democrats, bill
- color termsblack, white, red, blue, green
- education levelskindergarten, elementary school, middle school, high school, college
- fundamentalsbasics, fundamentals, essentials, foundation, ABCs
- descriptorsnew, novel, original, innovative, modern
primarysecondary
Lesser in rank
indirect · secondhand · derivative · derived · mediated
- primary colorsUnmixable base pigments
- primary schoolEarly childhood education institution
- primal screamsTherapeutic howls releasing trauma
- prima donnaTemperamental, self-important person
- primal fearInnate, ancient terror
- primary caregiverMain person providing care
primarily, primal, primacy, primate, primaries, prima, primaried, primarying, primary teeth