How to pronounce primarily
Say it like pry-MER-uh-lee. Primarily has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MER).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce primarily. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- pry
- MER
- uh
- lee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Primarily pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- pryKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- MERSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- leeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of primarily
American and British speakers say primarily in essentially the same way: /praɪˈmɛrəli/ in the US and /praɪˈmɛrɪli/ in the UK.
British respelling: pry-MER-ih-lee.
What does primarily mean?
- for the most part“he is mainly interested in butterflies”
- of primary import“this is primarily a question of economics”“it was in the first place a local matter”
Where does primarily come from?
From primary + -ly.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with primarily
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of primarily.
- necessarily
- temporarily
- voluntarily
- extraordinarily
- ordinarily
- momentarily
- militarily
- merrily
- customarily
- secondarily
Questions about saying primarily
How do you pronounce primarily?
Say pry-MER-uh-lee. The American pronunciation is /praɪˈmɛrəli/. In British English it is /praɪˈmɛrɪli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in primarily?
Primarily has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MER). Broken into parts: pry · MER · uh · lee.
Do Americans and Brits say primarily the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /praɪˈmɛrəli/ and the British form is /praɪˈmɛrɪli/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.