primate

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   any mammal of the order Primates, including humans, apes, monkeys, lemurs, lorises, and tarsiers

   The chimpanzee is a primate with grasping hands, forward-facing eyes, and a relatively large brain.

2. 2
   noun

   a senior bishop or archbishop who has precedence within a church, province, or nation

   The archbishop serves as primate of the national church.

From Middle English primate, through Old French from Late Latin primas, 'chief or person of the first rank,' based on Latin primus, 'first.' The ecclesiastical title is the older English sense. Linnaeus later used the Latin plural Primates as the mammalian order name, and English adopted primate for an individual member of that order.

Topics