How to pronounce primate
Say it like PRY-mayt. Primate has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PRY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce primate. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PRY
- mayt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Primate pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PRYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- maytGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of primate
American and British speakers say primate in essentially the same way: /ˈpraɪˌmeɪt/ in the US and /ˈpraɪˌmeɪt/ in the UK.
British respelling: PRY-mayt.
What does primate mean?
- A mammal of the order Primates, comprising of apes (including humans), monkeys, lemurs, tarsiers, lorisids, and galagos.“Primates range from lemurs to gorillas.”
- An anthropoid; ape including human.
- In the Catholic Church, a rare title conferred to or claimed by the sees of certain archbishops, or the highest-ranking bishop of a present or historical, usually political circumscription.“The Archbishop of Quebec is the primate of Canada.”
- In the Orthodox Church, the presiding bishop of an ecclesiastical jurisdiction or region. Usually, the expression primate refers to the first hierarch of an autocephalous or autonomous Orthodox church. Less often, it is used to refer to the ruling bishop of an archdiocese or diocese.
- In the Anglican Church, an archbishop, or the highest-ranking bishop of an ecclesiastic province.
Where does primate come from?
First attested in 1876.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying primate
How do you pronounce primate?
Say PRY-mayt. The American pronunciation is /ˈpraɪˌmeɪt/. In British English it is /ˈpraɪˌmeɪt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in primate?
Primate has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PRY). Broken into parts: PRY · mayt.
Do Americans and Brits say primate the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈpraɪˌmeɪt/ and the British form is /ˈpraɪˌmeɪt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.