\Prim"er\, n.
One who, or that which, primes; specifically, an instrument
or device for priming; esp., a cap, tube, or water containing
percussion powder or other compound for igniting a charge of
gunpowder.

\Prim"er\, a. [OF. primer, primier, premier, F. premier.
See {Premier}.]
First; original; primary. [Obs.] ``The primer English
kings.'' --Drayton.
{Primer fine} (O. Eng. Law), a fine due to the king on the
   writ or commencement of a suit by fine. --Blackstone.
{Primer seizin} (Feudal Law), the right of the king, when a
   tenant in capite died seized of a knight's fee, to receive
   of the heir, if of full age, one year's profits of the
   land if in possession, and half a year's profits if the
   land was in reversion expectant on an estate for life; --
   now abolished. --Blackstone.

\Prim"er\, n. [Originally, the book read at prime, the
first canonical hour. LL. primae liber. See {Prime}, n., 4.]
1. Originally, a small prayer book for church service,
   containing the little office of the Virgin Mary; also, a
   work of elementary religious instruction.
         The primer, or office of the Blessed Virgin. --Bp.
                                               Stillingfleet.
2. A small elementary book for teaching children to read; a
   reading or spelling book for a beginner.
         As he sat in the school at his prymer. --Chaucer.
3. (Print.) A kind of type, of which there are two species;
   one, called {long primer}, intermediate in size between
   bourgeois and small pica [see {Long primer}]; the other,
   called {great primer}, larger than pica.
Note: Great primer type.