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# prime

«prime» in Mova's school dictionary: **a whole number greater than 1 that can only be divided…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 3 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

adjective (prime); noun (prime — the best time); verb (prime, primes, primed, priming)

### meaning for a pupil

1) In maths, a prime number is a whole number greater than 1 that can only be divided exactly by 1 and itself. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/prime/#m1)

2) Prime means main or most important. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/prime/#m2)

3) Prime means of the best quality. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/prime/#m3)

4) Someone's prime is the time when they are strongest or best. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/prime/#m4)

5) To prime something means to get it ready, for example to put a first coat on wood before painting. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/prime/#m5)

### sense in the lessons

Maths: the prime numbers start 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29; 2 is the only even prime; 1 is not prime. A number with more factors is composite. Every whole number above 1 is a prime or can be made by multiplying primes (prime factors). Government: the Prime Minister leads the government in the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Phrases: prime number, prime factor, prime minister, prime example, in his prime.

### examples

- 7 is a prime number because only 1 and 7 divide it. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/prime/#x1)
- Is 9 prime? No, 3 × 3 = 9. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/prime/#x2)
- The prime factors of 12 are 2, 2 and 3. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/prime/#x3)
- The Prime Minister spoke on the news. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/prime/#x4)
- This is a prime example of good teamwork. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/prime/#x5)
- The athlete was in her prime. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/prime/#x6)
- Prime the wall before you paint it. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/prime/#x7)
- 2 is the only even prime number. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/prime/#x8)
- The Witch-Queen is put to death, and Nikita lives happily as the King's Prime Minister. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/prime/#x9)

### note

Maths trap: 1 is NOT a prime number (it has only one factor). 2 IS prime even though it is even. To test if a number is prime, try dividing by the primes smaller than it; if none divide exactly, it is prime. «Prime» in «Prime Minister» means first or chief.

### In the corpora

- ["Past his prime" means he is no longer young or at his best.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/euphemisms/9-age-looks-and-size/20/)
- ["Getting on", "no spring chicken" and "past his prime" mean old, not dead.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/euphemisms/41-olympiad-euphemism-detective/7/)
- [In the UK you do not vote for the prime minister directly.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/politics/17-uk-elections-and-the-prime-minister-as-reported/0/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «prime» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/prime/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.