# primate

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈpɹaɪmeɪt/ · frequency rank #24,282

## Definitions
1. A mammal of the order Primates, including apes (which include humans), monkeys, lemurs, tarsiers, lorisids, and galagos.
2. A simian anthropoid; an ape (including human) or monkey.

## Etymology
First attested in 1876. From French primate, from the substantivization of Latin prīmās, prīmātis (“one of the first, chief, excellent, noble”), same as Etymology 2. So named due to the belief that primates are the highest order of mammals or animals.

## Easily confused with
- **prime** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/primate-vs-prime)
- **private** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/primate-vs-private)
- **promote** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/primate-vs-promote)
- **probate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/primate-vs-probate)
- **primates** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/primate-vs-primates)
- **privates** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/primate-vs-privates)
- **proximate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/primate-vs-proximate)
- **prima** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prima-vs-primate)
- **pirate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pirate-vs-primate)
- **primal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/primal-vs-primate)
- **Pilate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pilate-vs-primate)
- **primary** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/primary-vs-primate)
- **primacy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/primacy-vs-primate)
- **prelate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/prelate-vs-primate)
- **predate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/predate-vs-primate)

## Common misspellings (10)
`pirmate`, `pprimate`, `priamte`, `primaet`, `primatte`, `primmate`, `primtae`, `prmiate`, `prrimate`, `rpimate`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/primate