Meaning & use

primer

noun·Academic

Last updated

A short introductory book or guide on a subject, or a coating applied to a surface to prepare it for paint.

See it in a sentence

The professor handed out a primer on statistics before the course began.

Apply a coat of primer to the wall before painting it white.

A note on using this word

Pronunciation and meaning both shift with context, but "primer" always signals something that prepares the way for what follows.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Another way to use it

2. noun

A small explosive device used to ignite a larger charge.

The engineer checked the primer before setting off the controlled blast.

Make it your own

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