Primarily
ˈpraɪmərɪli
Definitions
For the most part; mainly; chiefly.
ˈpraɪmərɪli
Mainly; chiefly.
I'm primarily interested in the history of art.
💡 Simply: It means something is mostly that way, but not always. Imagine you're building a Lego castle. You're primarily using red bricks, but you might throw in a few blue ones too!
👶 For kids: Mostly, the main thing.
More Examples
The company's success is primarily due to its innovative products.
The weather forecast is primarily sunny, with a chance of showers later in the day.
How It's Used
"The report is primarily concerned with economic issues."
"Our focus is primarily on customer satisfaction."
From "primary" + "-ly". "Primary" comes from Latin "primarius" meaning "of the first rank".
The word's use has been consistent over the past few centuries, appearing in various written works to indicate the main or most important factor.
Memory tip
Think of "primary" as the most important or main thing; therefore, primarily means mainly.