1. the fact or condition of being regarded or treated as more important: "the safety of the country takes priority over any other matter"Similarprime concernfirst concernmost important considerationmost pressing mattermatter of greatest importanceprimary issueprecedencegreater importancepreferenceprecedencypreeminencefirst/highest placepredominanceprimacythe leadweightingweightweightage
▪ a thing that is regarded as more important than another: "playing football wasn't high on my list of priorities"
▪ the right to take precedence or to proceed before others:"priority is given to those with press passes"Similarright of way
Word Originlate Middle English (denoting precedence in time or rank): from Old French priorite, from medieval Latin prioritas, from Latin prior ‘former’ (see prior1).
