primum

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈpriː.mum/, [ˈpriːmʊ̃ˑ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈpri.mum/, [ˈpriːmum]

Etymology 1

Adverbial accusative of prīmus.

Adverb

prīmum (not comparable)

1. first, at first, in the first place, first of all, for the first time, in advance, immediately
   • 29 BCE – 19 BCE, Virgil, Aeneid 4.342–343:

     “[...] urbem Troiānam prīmum dulcisque meōrum / rēliquiās colerem [...].”

     “[...] first I would safeguard the city of Troy and the dear survivors of my [people ...].”

   • 27 BCE – 25 BCE, Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita I.19:

     omnium primum

     first of all

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Numeral

prīmum

1. inflection of prīmus:
   1. nominative/accusative/vocative neuter singular
   2. accusative masculine singular

References

• “primum”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “primum”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• primum in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• Carl Meißner, Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎^[1], London: Macmillan and Co.
  • (ambiguous) we start by presupposing that..: positum est a nobis primum (c. Acc. c. Inf.)
    
  • (ambiguous) to be considered the foremost orator: primum or principem inter oratores locum obtinere
    
  • (ambiguous) to occupy the first, second position in the state: principem (primum), secundum locum dignitatis obtinere
    
  • (ambiguous) the vanguard: agmen primum