[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/primer/)

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# primer

noun (primer, primers)

«primer» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A primer is a first, easy book for learning to read or to count, or a short book that teaches the basics of a subject. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/primer/#m1)
2. Primer is also a first coat of paint that helps the top paint stick. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/primer/#m2)
3. A primer is also a small part that sets off a firework or bullet. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/primer/#m3)

### In the lessons

In maths: a word of the story (a school book) or paint used before the main paint; old arithmetic primers had many problems. In history: children learned from primers in old schools. In art and building: primer goes on bare wood or metal first.

### Examples

- The old arithmetic primer has 100 problems. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/primer/#x1)
- He bought a can of primer. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/primer/#x2)
- The primer costs 12 dollars. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/primer/#x3)
- Children long ago learned to read from a primer. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/primer/#x4)
- Paint the fence with primer before the red paint. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/primer/#x5)
- This book is a primer on how volcanoes work. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/primer/#x6)
- Let the primer dry before the next coat. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/primer/#x7)

### Note

Carries no operation by itself. In old books «primer» is the name of a school book. Trap: primer paint is counted like other paint, in cans or liters. Pronunciation: the book is often said «PRIM-er» (USA) and the paint «PRY-mer».

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «primer» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/primer/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«primer» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/primer.html) on Mova free.