A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1456, 1519-1520, 1577-1578
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Primar, -er, Prymar, n.2 [ME and e.m.E. prymer (Piers Plowman, Chaucer), primer, prym-, primar(e, med. L. primarius, -arium, precise origin uncertain.] A primer or small devotional manual for the laity; such a book used as an elementary reading-book; an elementary school-book for teaching children to read. Also comb. in primar-buk(e. — 1456 Testament A. Sutherland in Misc. Bann. C. III 94.
A primar buk 1519–20 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 194.
That na … nychtbour … put thair bairnis … bot to the principall grammer scule … to be techeit in ony science bot allanerlie grace buke, prymar and plane donatt a1578 Pitsc. I 349/11.
Arratick, thow teichit … thai parochinnaris to pray into God the primer in Inglische and the ten commandis
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"Primar n.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/primar_n_2>
