Etymology

primate

pri·mate
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Today it means: A mammal of the order Primates, comprising of apes (including humans), monkeys, lemurs, tarsiers, lorisids, and galagos. Full definition →

French primate ← Latin prīmās, prīmātis
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primate · noun1

  1. Latin · derived fromprīmās, prīmātis“one of the first, chief, excellent, noble”
  2. French · borrowed fromprimate
  3. English todayprimate

First attested in 1876. From French primate, from the substantivization of Latin prīmās, prīmātis (“one of the first, chief, excellent, noble”), same as Etymology 2. So named due to the belief that primates are the highest order of mammals or animals.

primate · noun2

  1. Late Latin · derived fromprīmās, prīmātis“chief bishop”
  2. Old French · derived fromprimat
  3. Middle English · inherited fromprimat(e)
  4. English todayprimate

First attested in c. 1275. From Middle English primat(e), from Old French primat (French primat), from Late Latin prīmās, prīmātis (“chief bishop”), substantivisation of prīmās (same as Etymology 1), from prīmus (“prime, first in rank (also as a substantive)”). Compare English primus, of similar derivation and meaning.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.