Pri"mate (?), n. [OE. primat, F. primat, L. primas, -atis one of the first, chief, fr. primus the first. See Prime, a.]
1.
The chief ecclesiastic in a national church; one who presides over other bishops in a province; an archbishop.
2. Zool.
One of the highest order of mammals. It includes man, together with the apes and monkeys. Cf. Pitheci.
© Webster 1913.