primarius

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [priːˈmaː.ri.ʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [priˈmaː.ri.us]^[1]

Forms

prīmārius (feminine prīmāria, neuter prīmārium); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin primus (“first”) + -ārius.^[2][1] The TLL, after Leumann, thinks it was formed from prīmus used as a noun.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus uses it of a leading man and of a first-rate parasite.^[2][4] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant of the highest rank, leading, as Terence's ladies of the first rank and Cicero's leading man of the people.^[2][6] It meant first-rate at something, as Pliny's first-rate warrior and Apuleius' Demosthenes, master of speaking.^[2] Apuleius also uses it of things, chief, most important.^[2] The Vulgate uses lapis prīmārius of the foundation stone.^[6]

In medieval Latin it meant original, primordial, the first of a number and primary.^[7][8] As a noun it was a chief man or governor, from Gregory the Great, and in 1323 an elementary book.^[5] English primary is recorded in the early 15th century as “earliest, most basic”.^[9]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a leading man.^[2][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a leading citizen.^[2][5]
• 540–604 AD – Gregory the Great uses it as a noun for a chief.^[5]
• early 15th century – English primary is recorded.^[9]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of the first rank, leading, chief.^[2][10]
2. First-rate, excellent.^[2][4]
3. (Medieval Latin) Original, primary.^[7][8]

Noun

1. (Medieval Latin) A chief man, governor; an elementary book.^[5]

Related words

• prīmus
• English primary
• English premier

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
4. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
5. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
8. ^ a b Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
10. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press