priority English · revision 5422

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1387|origins=la prior}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /praɪˈɒr.ə.ti/, /praɪˈɒr.ɪ.ti/, US /praɪˈɔːr.ə.t̬i/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|prioritie]], [[bor|fro|priorite]] and directly from [[la-med|prioritas|t=the fact of being prior]],^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998)^(SOED 2002) from [[la|prior|t=former]].^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998) It is related to [[prior]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The state of being earlier, prior existence: 1387–88 in the OED, the late 14th century in Etymonline.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Precedence in right, place or rank is from about 1400.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) Wycliffe rendered Latin prioritas into English as furtherhead.^(Etymonline) A precedence among claims, as in the order of payment, is from 1523.^(OED 1989) In 1897 the Century Dictionary still said that priority meant chiefly coming first in time, but in the 20th century the sense shifted to coming first in importance or needing immediate attention, and to a thing regarded as more important than others.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1387–88 – being earlier.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1400 – precedence in rank.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1523 – precedence of claims.^(OED 1989)

+ * 20th century – first in importance.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Something that is more important than other things and must be dealt with first.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # The right to be dealt with before others; [[precedence]].^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # The fact of coming earlier in time.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[nonpriority]]

+ * [[prioritize]]

+ * [[aperture-priority]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[prior]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}