Primacy Meaning
/ˈpɹaɪ.mə.si/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounThe state or condition of being prime or first, as in time, place, rank, etc.
nounExcellence; supremacy.
Sentence Examples
Tensions grew when the laity questioned the primacy of the clergy in moral decision-making.
CEFR Practice Quiz
In the debate, the ____ of evidence over opinion was stressed by the judge.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ____ of the rule of law is essential to maintaining a fair and just democratic society.
Word Origin & History
From Old French primacie, from Medieval Latin primatia (“office of a church primate”), from Latin primas plus a suffix corresponding to -acy. By surface analysis, prime + -acy.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"I am reading Nick Sousanis’ PhD dissertation-as-a-comic Unflattening. It debunks the primacy of word over image in Western culture and suggests that the two are equal partners in meaning-making."
— December 25 2016, Amruta Patil, “The book in my hand”, in The Hindu:
"In clinical practice, the generation of diagnostic hypotheses occurs especially readily and rapidly in subdisciplines such as dermatology, where gross appearance of lesions is of particular importance diagnostically[…]. The primacy of macroscopy in paleopathology means that the activation of skeletal disease scripts occurs with similar facility and rapidity when skeletal remains are examined."
— 2023, Simon Mays, “The Macroscopic Study of Human Skeletal Paleopathology” (chapter 2), in The Routledge Handbook of Paleopathology, Routledge, →DOI, →ISBN, pages 25–26:
"Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, who holds a primacy of honor in Eastern Orthodoxy, emphasized the many areas of agreement between Pope Francis and himself in response to the social concerns of the day."
— December 2 2016, Ecumenical Patriarch points to areas of agreement with Pope, Catholic World News:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
In the debate, the ____ of evidence over opinion was stressed by the judge.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ____ of the rule of law is essential to maintaining a fair and just democratic society.