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"primarily, mainly" in seven languages

Meaningprimarily, mainly

Spanish

principalmente

/pɾinθipalˈmente/

learned

French

principalement

/pʁɛ̃sipalmɑ̃/

learned

Italian

principalmente

/printʃipalˈmente/

learned

Portuguese

principalmente

/pɾĩsipawˈmẽtʃi/

learned

Romanian

în principal

/ɨn printʃiˈpal/

learned

Catalan

principalment

/pɾinsipəlˈmen/

learned

English

primarily

/pɹaɪˈmɛɹəli/

other source · primary (Latin PRĪMĀRIUS 'of the first rank') + -ly

Principally is the shared word.

English → Italianprimarily, mainlyprincipalmenteNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: principally, principal, prince.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

PRĪNCIPĀLEM‘first, chief’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

PRĪNCEPS was 'the one who takes first place', the root of prince. Its c before i gives the usual three sounds: θ in Spain, s in France, tʃ in Italy.

English relatives: principally, principal, prince

Sound laws at work

Adverbs in -mente / -mentC before E and I

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In a sentence

  • esEl libro está dirigido principalmente a los niños.
  • frLe livre s'adresse principalement aux enfants.
  • itIl libro è rivolto principalmente ai bambini.
  • ptO livro é voltado principalmente para crianças.
  • roCartea se adresează în principal copiilor.
  • caEl llibre s'adreça principalment als infants.
  • enThe book is aimed primarily at children.

More words from the same Latin

More in Little words

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