premier

1 of 6

adjective (1)

pre·​mier pri-ˈmir How to pronounce premier (audio)
-ˈmyir, 
-ˈmē-ər;
ˈprē-ˌmir How to pronounce premier (audio)
-ˌmyir, 
-ˌmē-ər, 
ˈpre-
Synonyms of premier
1
: first in position, rank, or importance
the city's premier restaurant
2
: first in time : earliest

premier

2 of 6

noun (1)

premiership
pri-ˈmir-ˌship How to pronounce premier (audio)
-ˈmyir-, 
-ˈmē-ər-;
ˈprē-ˌmir-, 
-ˌmyir-, 
-ˌmē-ər-, 
ˈpre-
noun

premier

3 of 6

verb (1)

pre·​mier

less common spelling of premiere entry 2

intransitive verb

1
: to have a first public performance
The movie/play will premiere next week.
2
: to appear for the first time as a star performer
He premiered in the title role on Broadway.

transitive verb

: to give a first public performance of
The movie was premiered at the film festival.
variants or less commonly première
plural premieres also premières
1
: a first performance or exhibition
the premiere of a play
the show's premiere episode
2
: the chief actress of a theatrical cast
variants or less commonly première or premier
premiered also premièred; premiering also premièring

intransitive verb

1
: to have a first public performance
The movie/play will premiere next week.
2
: to appear for the first time as a star performer
He premiered in the title role on Broadway.

transitive verb

: to give a first public performance of
The movie was premiered at the film festival.
: premier
In addition to the sporting events, Lillehammer also offers one of Norway's premiere cultural sites in the Maihaugen Open Air Museum …—William E. Schmidt

Examples of premier in a Sentence

Adjective (1) a space shuttle on its premier voyage the premier authority on butterflies Noun (2) The movie will have its premiere next week. Verb (2) The movie premieres next week.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Based on the size of transactions, profile of clientele as well as peer input, this list honors the premier attorneys behind the year’s biggest defining moves in music. — Claudia Rosenbaum, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026 Amenities and experiences The resort is a premier venue for events like the annual Maui Jazz & Blues Festival and Kapalua Wine & Food Festival, along with the ongoing Kapalua Concert Series and Tales of the Kapa Moe Luau. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
Noun
The telecast’s streaming debut follows a record-breaking 2026 edition that further cemented Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve as television’s premier New Year’s Eve destination. — Paul Grein, Billboard, 7 Oct. 2026 The rooms The rooms are all consistently sharp and polished, from the deluxe rooms all the way through to the premier suites and penthouse. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Verb
In 1991, he was tapped to manage the economy as a vice premier and was promoted to premier seven years later. — Cnn Staff, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026 However, it is expected to premier in the fall of 2026. — Griff Griffin, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
Noun
Related Stories Speaking to Variety on the red carpet at its London Film Festival premiere on Sunday, Garfield — who has been Oscar-nominated twice but never won — reacted humbly to the praise. — Alex Ritman, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026 In addition to their continuous linear strength, Wolf Entertainment’s Chicago and Law & Order series have been big next-day-on-Peacock draws, with all five series, along with Line Of Fire, firmly in the streamer’s Top 10 since their premieres. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2026
Verb
Season 1 of the series premiered in Japan in 2021 on the cable and satellite outlet Mystery Channel (then AXN Mystery), and subsequently aired on public broadcaster NHK starting in 2022. — Ed Meza, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026 Indeed, this wasn’t the only episode that featured the messy, minimalist hairstyle; the look was favored across the six-season show, which premiered in 2007, and seen on a slew of characters. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Adjective
Book 2 does not have a premiere date at the time of this publishing. — Joe Otterson, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026 McG is also exec producing and will direct the series premiere episode. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for premier

Word History

Etymology

Adjective (1)

Middle English primer, primier "first in time, first in rank, foremost," borrowed from Anglo-French primer, premer, premyer "first, earliest, most important" (continental Old & Middle French primier, premier), going back to Latin prīmārius "of the highest importance or station (of persons), first-rate, chief" — more at primary entry 1

Note: Since its adoption in late Middle English, this word has shown influence in both pronunciation and spelling from Middle French and French premier.

Noun (1)

short for premier minister, after French premier ministre "first minister"

Noun (2)

(sense 1) borrowed from French première, short for première représentation "first performance"; (sense 2) probably noun derivative of premiere entry 3

Verb (2)

verb derivative of premiere entry 1

Adjective (2)

alteration of premier entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

1707, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1889, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1927, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Adjective (2)

1768, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of premier was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Premier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/premier. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

1
: first in position, rank, or importance : principal
2
: first in time : earliest

premier

2 of 2 noun
: the chief minister of government : prime minister

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