primer

noun

1. (historical)A prayer or devotional book intended for laity, initially an abridgment of the breviary and manual including the hours of the Virgin Mary, 15 gradual and 7 penitential psalms, the litany, the placebo and dirige forming the office of the dead, and the commendations.
2. (historical)Any of various similar works issued in England for private prayer in accordance with the Book of Common Prayer.
3. A children's book intended to teach literacy: how to read, write, and spell.

   “Four-year-old Elizabeth Finkle-McGraw would receive the Young Lady's Illustrated Primer from her grandfather. Fiona Hackworth would be getting a copy of the Illustrated Primer too, for this had been John Percival Hackworth's crime: He had programmed the matter compiler to place the cockleburs on the outside of Elizabeth's book.”

4. An introductory text on any subject, particularly basic concepts.

   “[...] The two assets of the book are clear explanation, and a multitude of extremely helpful diagrams, some in two colours, and cutaway photographs; these clearly unravel a difficult subject for the layman, as well as the student engineman for whom the primer is chiefly designed.”

5. (New-Zealand, obsolete)An elementary school class; an elementary school student.
6. (countable, uncountable)Any substance or device, such as priming wire or blasting cap, used to ignite gunpowder or other explosive.

   “The percussion primer, known as the “ 110-grain percussion primer,” contains an igniting charge of 95 grains of black powder in addition to the essential elements of a percussion primer.”

   “Therefore, the shotgun primer is quite self- contained. It consists of a separate metal cup called a battery cup that contains the primer itself. That's why it is considered a two-piece primer.”

   “Take care when handling primers, especially ensure that your fingers are free of oil or dirt. Oil can affect the detonating properties of the primer pellet, and can be the cause of misfires if too much oil gets into the primer.”

7. (countable, obsolete, uncountable)A person who primes explosives.
8. (countable, uncountable)A substance used to prime wood, metal, etc. in preparation for painting.
9. (countable, uncountable)A layer of such a substance.
10. (countable, uncountable)A layer of makeup that goes beneath the foundation; undermakeup.

    “The undermakeup (primer) should be allowed to dry-set for 30 seconds. Apply foundation over the primer with a sponge using light, careful strokes to blend. Undermakeups come in cream form, sponge-on wands, or sponge-on cream, and as a lotion.”

11. (countable, obsolete, uncountable)A person who primes wood, metal, etc.
12. (countable, uncountable)A molecule which initiates the synthesis of an enzyme, (especially) a single-stranded nucleic acid molecule which initiates DNA replication.
13. (countable, uncountable)A pheromone which interacts first with the endocrine system.
14. (countable, uncountable)A device used to prime an internal combustion engine with gasoline, (especially) in airplanes.
15. (countable, uncountable)A person who prunes trees.

adj

1. (not-comparable, obsolete)First in time, initial, early.

   “the primer English kings”

2. (not-comparable, obsolete)First in importance, premier.
3. (not-comparable, obsolete, rare)First in position, foremost.

name

1. A surname.