prima
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- First, leading, or principal: Used to indicate the most important performer or role in a performance, such as an opera, ballet, or play.
Examples of Usage
- Adjective:
- She was the prima ballerina for the national ballet company for a decade.
- The critic praised the prima donna's powerful voice and dramatic presence.
- He landed the prima role in the new theatrical production.
Advanced Usage
- The term is almost exclusively used in fixed, borrowed phrases from Italian, primarily within the performing arts. It is not typically used in general English to mean "first" or "leading" outside of these specific contexts.
Variants and Related Words
- Prima ballerina (n): The leading female dancer in a ballet company.
- Prima donna (n):
- The principal female singer in an opera company.
- (Figurative) A person who is very temperamental and demanding, like a stereotypical opera star.
- Prima facie (adj/adv): A Latin term used in law meaning "at first sight" or "based on the first impression."
- Prima (n): A separate noun entry referring to a type of apple, used primarily for eating.
Synonyms
- Leading
- Starring
- Principal
- Chief
Antonyms
- Secondary
- Supporting
- Minor
Notes on Usage
- "Prima" as an adjective is almost never used alone in English. It is a borrowing from Italian and is only standard in the compound terms prima ballerina and prima donna. Using "prima" by itself to mean "leading" (e.g., "the prima scientist") would be incorrect and non-idiomatic.
- The separate noun "prima" (the apple) is a distinct word and is not related to the adjective in meaning or origin.
Adjective
- indicating the most important performer or role
- the leading man
- prima ballerina
- prima donna
- a star figure skater
- the starring role
- a stellar role
- a stellar performance
Noun
- used primarily as eating apples