noun
1.
/ ˈpraɪmeɪt; NAmE / any animal that belongs to the group of mammals that includes humans, apes and monkeys
2.
/ ˈpraɪmət; -meɪt/ an archbishop (= a priest of very high rank in the Christian Church) :
the Primate of all England (= the Archbishop of Canterbury)
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WORD ORIGIN
sense 2 Middle English : from Old French primat , from Latin primas , primat- of the first rank, from primus first.
sense 1 late 19th cent.: from Latin primas , primat- of the first rank, from primus first.