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priority
/ˈpraɪ.ər.ə.ti/
What does "priority" mean in English?
something given special attention or importanceHealth should always be your top priority.
This means it should be more important than other concerns.
How to use "priority" correctly: definitions and examples in English?
general
something that is more important than other things and should be dealt with first
The company's priority is customer satisfaction.
They focus on making customers happy more than anything else.
In an emergency, saving lives is the priority.
This means all other tasks are less important than rescuing people.
Can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
Collocations
top prioritythe most important thing to focus onset prioritiesto decide what is most importanthigh prioritysomething that needs immediate attention
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Plural vs. Singular
Use 'priority' for singular focus and 'priorities' when discussing multiple important things.
Gold Rule
Correct Usage
Always use 'priority' with 'the' when referring to a specific important thing (e.g., 'the priority is safety').
Word Origin
From Middle French 'priorité', from Latin 'prior' (earlier, former) + '-itas' (suffix forming abstract nouns). First recorded in English in the 15th century.
Usage Notes
Often used in plural form ('priorities') to indicate multiple important things. Can be used as a countable noun (a priority) or uncountable (priority in general).
Word Breakdown
prior
earlier, former
root-ity
quality or state of
suffixEnglish Dictionary