Wordfinder

Priority definition

prī-ôrĭ-tē, -ŏr-
priorities
See word origin
Frequency:
Precedence, especially established by order of importance or urgency.
noun
17
3
A preceding or coming earlier in time.
noun
22
10
A particular order, or sequence, in which things take place (items processed, users served, etc.). A priority is based on a predetermined assignment of value, or importance, to different types of events and people.
6
3
Priority is defined as that something or someone is more urgent or important than other things.

An example of priority is a claim that has to be processed right away and that jumps to the head of the line.

noun
5
2
Something to be given prior attention.
noun
3
1
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A right to precedence over others in obtaining, buying, or doing something.
noun
1
0
(taxonomy, of a name) A superior claim to use by virtue of being validly published at an earlier date.
noun
1
0
Something afforded or deserving prior attention.
noun
1
1
An established right to precedence.
noun
1
1
An authoritative rating that establishes such precedence.
noun
1
1
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A condition of being higher in rank, or degree, or having occurred at an earlier time; taking precedence, especially a creditor’s right to receive payment from a debtor before others are paid; the initiating court’s exercising the jurisdiction in a case in which more than one court is involved.
noun
0
0
An item's relative importance.

He set his e-mail message's priority to high.

noun
0
0
The fact or condition of being prior; precedence in time, order, importance, etc.
noun
3
4
A goal of a person or an organisation.

She needs to get her priorities straight and stop playing games.

noun
0
1
An order granting this, as in an emergency.
noun
0
2
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Other Word Forms

Noun

Singular:
priority
Plural:
priorities

Origin of priority

  • Middle English priorite from Old French from Medieval Latin priōritās from Latin prior first prior2

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Old French priorite, from Latin prioritas.

    From Wiktionary

Priority Sentence Examples

  • The first priority was rescuing children.

  • The priority should probably be assigned to the Orosius, but the point has been much debated.

  • Somehow it simply wasn't top priority in her life right now.

  • I'll make it a priority from now on.

  • With a baby on the way, Quinn's and Martha's top priority was a locality where they could raise a family in a large and comfortable home.

More sentences

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Words near priority in the Dictionary