primary source

noun

An original work, especially one by a notable author whose work is now the subject of commentaries (secondary sources).

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primary work
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Meanings

nounprimary source (plural primary sources)

plural primary sources

  1. scholarly studiesAn original work, especially one by a notable author whose work is now the subject of commentaries (secondary sources).

    Synonyms: primary work

  2. historiographyA historical object, especially a written document, that was created at or near the time of the events studied.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounAn original work, especially one by a notable author whose work is now the subject of commentaries (secondary sources).

Similar
primary work
Also see
primary work

Translations

Dutch primaire bron, primaire bron
  • primaire bronoriginal work
  • primaire bronhistoriography
Finnish primaarilähde, primaarilähde
  • primaarilähdeoriginal work
  • primaarilähdehistoriography
French source primaire
  • source primaireoriginal work
German Primärquelle
  • Primärquellehistoriography
Greek πρωτογενής πηγή
  • πρωτογενής πηγή (protogenís pigí)historiography
Hebrew מָקוֹר רִאשׁוֹנִי, מָקוֹר רִאשׁוֹנִי
  • מָקוֹר רִאשׁוֹנִי (makór rishoní)original work
  • מָקוֹר רִאשׁוֹנִי (makór rishoní)historiography
Hungarian elsődleges forrás
  • elsődleges forráshistoriography
Norwegian Bokmål primærkilde, primærkilde
  • primærkildeoriginal work
  • primærkildehistoriography
Polish źródło pierwotne, źródło pierwotne
  • źródło pierwotneoriginal work
  • źródło pierwotnehistoriography
Russian первоисто́чник
  • первоисто́чник (pervoistóčnik)historiography
Tagalog pangunahing batis
  • pangunahing batishistoriography
Thai แหล่งข้อมูลปฐมภูมิ
  • แหล่งข้อมูลปฐมภูมิhistoriography
Turkish ana kaynak, birincil kaynak
  • ana kaynakoriginal work
  • birincil kaynakoriginal work
  • birinci el kaynakhistoriography
Cite this entry
APA

primary source. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/primary%20source

MLA

“primary source.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/primary%20source. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “primary source,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/primary%20source.

Source: primary source on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.