prime

¹prime

noun \ˈprīm\

Definition of PRIME

1

a often capitalized : the second of the canonical hours b : the first hour of the day usually considered either as 6 a.m. or the hour of sunrise

2

a : the earliest stage b : spring c : youth

3

: the most active, thriving, or satisfying stage or period <in the prime of his life>

4

: the chief or best individual or part : pick <prime of the flock, and choicest of the stall — Alexander Pope>

5

: prime number

6

a : the first note or tone of a musical scale : tonic b : the interval between two notes on the same staff degree

7

: the symbol ′ used to distinguish arbitrary characters (as a and a′), to indicate a specific unit (as feet or minutes of time or angular measure), or to indicate the derivative of a function (as p′ or f′(x)) — compare double prime

8

: prime rate

Examples of PRIME

1. young college graduates in the prime of life
2. The interest rate is two percent plus prime.

Origin of PRIME

Middle English, from Old English prīm, from Latin prima hora first hour

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to PRIME

Synonyms: blossom, florescence, floruit, flower, flush, heyday, high noon, bloom, salad days, springtime

Related Words: autumn, Indian summer; blooming, blossoming, efflorescence, flowering; acme, apex, climax, meridian, peak, pinnacle, summit, zenith; glory, grandeur, splendor; belle epoque (or belle époque), golden age, silver age; comeback, recovery, revivial

Near Antonyms: decay, decline, downfall; bottom, nadir; shriveling (or shrivelling), wilting, withering

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Other Calendar Terms

antedate, estival, gloaming, luster, sesquicentennial

Rhymes with PRIME

chime, climb, clime, crime, cyme, dime, disme, grime, lime, mime, rhyme, rime, slime, stime, thyme, time