prime minister

1 of 2

noun (1)

1
: the chief minister of a ruler or state
2
: the official head of a cabinet or ministry
especially : the chief executive of a parliamentary government
prime ministerial adjective
prime ministership noun
prime ministry noun

prime ministry

2 of 2

noun (2)

1
: the office of prime minister
2
: the term of office of a prime minister

Examples of prime minister in a Sentence

Noun (1) the Prime Minister of England
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
France’s own prime minister has warned that reneging on the national debt would force the country to borrow at exorbitant interest rates, just as the government must turn to the bond market to raise more than $360 billion this year. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026 The man was rescued from a hydropower tunnel, according to a social media post by the country’s prime minister’s office. — Jon Haworth, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2026 The man was rescued from a hydropower tunnel, according to a social media post by the country’s prime minister’s office, bringing the total to three workers pulled alive from the Trishuli hydropower project. — Shristi Kafle, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026 Both men were flown to a hospital in Kathmandu, and one of them was in critical condition, the AP reported, citing a statement from the prime minister's office. — James Cirrone, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prime minister

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1655, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of prime minister was in 1655

Rhymes for prime minister

See All Rhymes for prime minister

Browse Nearby Words

prime meridian
prime minister
prime ministerial
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Cite this Entry

“Prime minister.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prime%20minister. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

prime minister

noun
: the chief officer of the government in some countries

Legal Definition

prime minister

noun
prime min·​is·​ter
-ˈmi-nə-stər
1
: the chief minister of a ruler or state
2
: the official head of a cabinet or ministry
especially : the chief executive of a parliamentary government
prime ministerial
-ˌmi-nə-ˈstir-ē-əl
adjective
prime ministership noun
prime ministry
-ˈmi-nə-strē
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on prime minister

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about prime minister

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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