英文字根 prim
英文的字根「prim」源自拉丁文 primus，意思是「第一的、最早的、最重要的」。這個字根在許多單字中都保留了「優先、首要」的概念，有些字則發展出「原始、基本」或「端莊保守」的延伸意義。掌握這個字根不僅有助於你快速猜出單字意思，也能讓你在理解文章脈絡時更順手。以下是三十個與「prim」相關的單字，每個都搭配三個例句、中文翻譯與詞彙說明，讓你輕鬆吸收。
primary
The primary goal of this meeting is to finalize the budget.
My primary concern is your safety.
This is a primary source, not a secondary interpretation.
主要的、首要的
→ 通常指最重要或最先的東西，是在很多討論裡的核心關鍵字。
primitive
These tools are from a primitive civilization.
The idea may sound primitive, but it works.
He has a primitive sense of justice.
原始的、粗糙的、基本的
→ 可以形容早期的社會或技術，也能指某種「天然直覺」的東西。
primacy
The primacy of law must be respected.
She believes in the primacy of love over duty.
The primacy of science in modern life is undeniable.
首要地位、至高權威
→ 表達某樣東西「最重要」的位置，常用在哲學、政治或宗教語境中。
primal
He felt a primal urge to protect his family.
Primal fears are hard to overcome.
This music touches something primal in me.
原始的、本能的、最初的
→ 和 primitive 相似，但更強調本能、情緒上的原初反應。
primer
I read a primer on investing before opening my account.
This book is a great primer for beginners.
He gave me a quick primer on Python.
入門書、初學教材
→ 專門設計給初學者看的簡明教材，常見於各類主題的導論。
prime
He is in the prime of his life.
This steak is prime quality.
She played a prime role in the negotiation.
最佳的、首要的、主要的
→ 不論是描述品質、年齡還是重要性，都代表「最棒」的狀態。
primed
He’s primed and ready to go.
I was primed for the interview by my coach.
The pump is already primed.
準備好的、事先裝好、灌注的
→ 可用來形容人「備戰狀態」，也可用在機器或過程上。
primordial
The soup of primordial life is a scientific mystery.
He expressed a primordial fear of the dark.
Music stirs something primordial in us.
原始的、太古的、根源的
→ 更偏重時間上非常早期、甚至是地球剛形成時的狀態。
primogenitor
He’s considered the primogenitor of this tradition.
Our primogenitor came from the East.
The family traces its roots to a primogenitor in Spain.
始祖、祖先
→ 是「最初的祖先」的意思，常出現在歷史或族譜中。
primogeniture
In monarchies, primogeniture often determines succession.
Primogeniture gave the eldest son all the land.
She challenged the tradition of male primogeniture.
長子繼承權
→ 傳統中長子獨享遺產的制度，有些社會仍然保留這樣的做法。
primordialism
Primordialism affects how people identify with ethnicity.
The theory of primordialism emphasizes ancient ties.
Critics argue that primordialism oversimplifies culture.
原生主義、原始民族觀
→ 一種社會學概念，強調血緣與歷史連結的重要性。
prim
She always looks so prim and proper.
Don’t be so prim about everything!
He gave a prim little smile.
端莊的、拘謹的、一本正經的
→ 帶有點「過於正經」的語氣，有時帶點揶揄。
primness
Her primness made the atmosphere awkward.
His primness faded after a few drinks.
There was a certain primness to the decor.
拘謹、一本正經
→ 名詞型，描述那種拘謹或過度禮貌的樣子。
primly
She spoke primly, correcting every error.
He walked primly across the room.
The cat sat primly on the couch.
拘謹地、整齊地、一本正經地
→ 很端正、但不一定討喜的那種舉止。
primordiality
Scientists discuss the primordiality of the ocean.
The primordiality of language is debated.
This myth hints at the primordiality of fire.
原始性、原初狀態
→ 指一個事物原始、未被改變的狀態。
primatial
The primatial authority resides in the archbishop.
The cathedral has primatial status.
He wore the primatial robes with pride.
首席主教的、教會高位的
→ 與宗教地位有關，特別是基督教體系裡的高階神職。
primateship
He assumed the primateship with dignity.
The primateship was passed to the next archbishop.
His primateship was marked by reform.
主教長職位
→ 教會中最高領袖的角色與責任。
primordially
We are all primordially connected.
The land is primordially sacred.
They acted out of primordially rooted beliefs.
原始地、根本上
→ 用來形容某些最基本、無可撼動的狀態。
primiparous
She was nervous as a primiparous mother.
Primiparous women often have longer labors.
The study focuses on primiparous birth experiences.
初產的、第一次生產的
→ 專指第一次生孩子的女性，常出現在醫學文獻中。
primigravida
The clinic specializes in caring for primigravida.
She’s a primigravida at 32 weeks.
Primigravida need extra support and education.
第一次懷孕的女性
→ 同樣屬於醫學術語，重點是「懷孕」，而不是「生產」。
primiparity
Primiparity is a known risk factor in some cases.
The study analyzed outcomes of primiparity.
She discussed her primiparity with her doctor.
初產經歷
→ 用來指「初次生產」這件事本身。
primo
That restaurant was primo!
He’s a primo guitarist.
We had a primo time last night.
最棒的、一流的（俚語）
→ 常見於美式口語，帶點輕鬆又誇張的語氣。
priming
The teacher used priming to boost vocabulary recall.
Advertising uses priming to influence choices.
The machine needs priming before use.
預備、引導、心理啟動
→ 在心理學與行為研究中非常常見，也可用在機械運作上。
primordial soup
Life may have originated in a primordial soup.
The theory of the primordial soup explains early evolution.
We’re studying the chemistry of the primordial soup.
原始湯（生命起源理論）
→ 描述地球早期海洋中的化學混合物，是生命誕生的關鍵背景。
primaveral
The air smelled primaveral and sweet.
Primaveral blossoms covered the field.
He felt a primaveral joy after the long winter.
春天的、春天般的
→ 文學性強，用來描寫春天氣息或讓人感受到「春意」的事物。
primatially
He acted primatially in settling disputes.
The primatially ranked bishop had final say.
This was handled primatially, not democratically.
以主教長身分、具首席地位地
→ 雖然較少用，但在宗教歷史文件中偶有出現。
primogenitural
They followed a primogenitural inheritance line.
The rule is based on primogenitural rights.
He challenged the primogenitural system.
長子繼承制的
→ 和 primogeniture 相對應的形容詞型。
primordium
The primordium of a leaf forms early.
Cell division begins in the primordium.
They studied the flower’s primordium.
芽原、初生組織
→ 在生物學中是指器官發育的最早階段。
primus
He was called primus inter pares—first among equals.
Primus is often used in ceremonial titles.
She holds the title of primus in the order.
第一位、首位（拉丁語用法）
→ 雖然少用，但在宗教或學術儀式中仍可見。
primordially-driven
We’re primordially-driven to seek connection.
Primordially-driven fears are hard to shake.
This art reflects a primordially-driven impulse.
由原始本能驅動的
→ 文學或心理學中，強調動機來自人類深層本能。
這些單字看似龐雜，其實背後都是以「prim」為核心，呈現出「第一、原始、首要」等不同角度。從語源掌握起來，很多難字也就沒那麼難了。