/ Dictionary / Index P primer: Meaning and Definition of Find definitions for: prim•er Pronunciation: (prim'ur or, esp. Brit., prī'mur), [key] — n. an elementary book for teaching children to read. any book of elementary principles: a primer of phonetics. See See prim•er Pronunciation: (prī'mur), [key] — n. a person or thing that primes. a cap, cylinder, etc., containing a compound that may be exploded by percussion or other means, used for firing a charge of powder. a first coat or layer of paint, size, etc., given to any surface as a base, sealer, or the like. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. See also: primer (Thesaurus) prime number theorem prime rate Related Content Daily Word Quiz: feline Analogy of the Day: Today’s Analogy Spelling Bee: Today’s Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language