| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | earliest |
| Synonyms: | aboriginal, archetypal, authentic, autochthonous, beginning, commencing, early, elementary, embryonic, first, first-hand, genuine, inceptive, infant, initial, introductory, opening, pioneer, primary, prime, primeval, primitive, primordial, pristine, prototypal, rudimental, rudimentary, starting, underivative, underived |
| Antonyms: | derivative, latest, newest |
| Main Entry: | paramount |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | principal, superior |
| Synonyms: | ascendant, capital, cardinal, chief, commanding, controlling, crowning, dominant, eminent, first, foremost, headmost, leading, main, outstanding, overbearing, predominant, predominate, preeminent, premier, preponderant, prevalent, primary, prime, regnant, sovereign, supreme |
| Notes: | paramount means 'primary, top'; tantamount means 'equivalent to, same as'; paramount first meant 'highest in jurisdiction' |
| Antonyms: | inferior, last, least, less, lesser, lowest, minor, secondary, smallest, trivial |
| Main Entry: | preliminary |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | introductory, initial |
| Synonyms: | basic, elemental, elementary, exploratory, first, fundamental, inductive, initiatory, opening, pilot, preceding, precursory, prefatory, preparatory, preparing, primal, primary, prior, qualifying, readying, test, trial |
| Antonyms: | closing, concluding, final |
| Main Entry: | premier |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | leading; original |
| Synonyms: | arch, beginning, champion, chief, earliest, first, foremost, head, highest, inaugural, initial, main, opening, primary, prime, principal |
| Antonyms: | inferior, minor |
| Main Entry: | primal |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | primeval; primary |
| Synonyms: | aboriginal, ancient, central, chief, earliest, early, first, fundamental, highest, old, original, paramount, past, prehistoric, primitive, primordial, principal, pristine |
| Main Entry: | primary/prime |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | best, principal |
| Synonyms: | capital, cardinal, chief, crackerjack*, dominant, excellent, fab, first, first-class*, greatest, heavy, highest, hot*, leading, main, number one, paramount, primo, state-of-the-art*, stellar, top, top-of-the-line, tough*, world-class |
| Antonyms: | inferior, least, minor, second-rate, secondary, subordinate, worst |
| Main Entry: | primary/prime |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | earliest |
| Synonyms: | aboriginal, beginning, direct, first, firsthand, immediate, initial, original, pioneer, primal, primeval, primitive, primordial, pristine |
| Antonyms: | final, latest |
| Main Entry: | primary/prime |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | basic, fundamental |
| Synonyms: | basal, beginning, bottom, central, elemental, elementary, essential, first, foundational, introductory, meat-and-potatoes, original, primitive, principal, radical, rudimentary, simple, three R's, ultimate, underivative, underived, underlying |
| Antonyms: | auxiliary, secondary, supplemental |
| Main Entry: | primeval |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | ancient |
| Synonyms: | earliest, early, first, old, original, prehistoric, primal, primary, primitive, primordial, pristine |
| Antonyms: | modern, new |