All Words > Primacy

illustration Primacy

Primacy

[PRY-mə-see]

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Late Middle English, 1350s

1.

The fact of being primary, preeminent, or most important.

2.

The office, period of office, or authority of a primate (chief bishop or archbishop) of certain churches.

Examples of Primacy in a sentence

"London has reaffirmed its primacy as the most visited city in the U.K."

"The Bishop’s primacy lasted well over ten years."

About Primacy

This word came into prominence in Late Middle English, but originally started out as the Old French word “primatie,” derived from the Latin words “primatia,” “primas,” and “primat” (which all mean “of the first rank”).

Did you Know?

The development of the American highway system welcomed the primacy of automobile travel. The Interstate Highway System was approved in 1956 under President Eisenhower. Regular automobile traffic spread across the network of roads, but interstate commerce and trucking also expanded, thanks to the highway system.

illustration Primacy

Recent Words

What's the word?