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primary

/ˈpɹaɪˌmɛɹ.i/
adjectivenounverb

PRIMARY meaning: first, preliminary, or fundamental; this seven-letter word scores 14 points in Scrabble.

NWL Collins ENABLE

Adjective 4 meanings

  1. First or earliest in a group or series.

    “Children attend primary school, and teenagers attend secondary school.”

  2. Main; principal; chief; placed ahead of others.

  3. Earliest formed; fundamental.

    “Preferred stock has primary claim on dividends, ahead of common stock.”

  4. Illustrating, possessing, or characterized by, some quality or property in the first degree; having undergone the first stage of substitution or replacement.

Noun 4 meanings

  1. A primary election; a preliminary election to select a political candidate of a political party, or the first round of a two-round election.

  2. The first year of grade school.

  3. A base or fundamental component; something that is irreducible.

  4. The most massive component of a gravitationally bound system, such as a planet in relation to its satellites.

Verb 2 meanings

  1. To challenge (an incumbent sitting politician) for their political party's nomination to run for re-election, through running a challenger campaign in a primary election, especially one that is more ideologically extreme.

  2. To take part in a primary election.

Definitions: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA) via Kaikki/Wiktextract

Where it comes from

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin prīmārius (“of the first (rank); chief, principal; excellent”), from prīmus (first; whence the English adjective prime) + -ārius (whence the English suffix -ary); compare the French primaire, primer, and premier. Doublet of premier.

PRIMARY works in several settings: it can describe an early election, a first school year, or something basic and essential. Its spelling has a memorable shape, with P and M each worth three Scrabble points and a four-point Y at the end. For word-game play, its single one-letter neighbour is PRIMACY, not an anagram.

PRIMARY at a glance

  • PRIMARY is a seven-letter word with a 14-point face value in Scrabble.
  • Its letter values are P=3, R=1, I=1, M=3, A=1, R=1, and Y=4.
  • PRIMACY is its only listed one-letter neighbour.
  • No anagrams are listed for PRIMARY.
  • LIBRARY, SUMMARY, and ORDINARY share its “-ary” rhyme.

What does PRIMARY mean?

PRIMARY can mean first in order or importance, and it also describes something preliminary. A primary election is an early vote to select a political candidate; the word can also refer to a child’s first year of grade school.

In science and general writing, primary can mean basic or fundamental: a primary component is a base element rather than a secondary addition. In astronomy, the primary is the most massive body in a gravitationally bound system, such as a planet compared with its satellites.

Those senses share a useful idea: primary marks the starting point or central element. Don’t treat it only as a synonym for “most important”; the election and astronomy uses have more specific meanings.

PRIMARY Scrabble score and word building

PRIMARY scores 14 points before premium squares. The P and M contribute three points apiece, while Y adds four; the four remaining tiles are worth one point each. That makes Y the biggest single tile, but P and M together supply six points.

The one-letter neighbour is PRIMACY: changing the final Y to C makes another seven-letter word. That close spelling is easy to overlook when checking a rack, but the two words are not anagrams because their letters differ.

No anagrams are listed for PRIMARY, so rearranging all seven letters does not produce another entry here. The ending also gives you a rhyme cue: the list includes LIBRARY, SUMMARY, ORDINARY, and 9 other words ending in the same sound. PRIMARY meaning stays tied to “first” or “fundamental,” even when you use it for a rhyme or score.

Rhymes with primary

All rhymes

One letter away

Change one letter, keep the rest
  • PRIMACY16

Questions people ask

Is PRIMARY a valid word?
Yes, PRIMARY is an established English word with several meanings. It can describe a preliminary election, a first school year, a fundamental component, or the most massive body in a bound system. Check your game’s word list if you need a ruling for a particular version.
How many points is PRIMARY worth in Scrabble?
PRIMARY is worth 14 points before any board bonuses. P and M are worth three points each, and Y is worth four; R, I, A, and the second R are worth one apiece. Premium squares can change the final play score.
What word is one letter away from PRIMARY?
PRIMACY is the only listed word one letter away from PRIMARY. The two seven-letter words differ at the final position: PRIMARY ends in Y, while PRIMACY ends in C. They are neighbours, not anagrams, because their letter sets are different.

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