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

Noun

Three years on, the worst security failure in Israel's history now threatens to end the career of its longest-serving prime minister. — Arkansas Online, 8 Oct. 2026

France has had six prime ministers in five years, with volatility exacerbated after the 2024 parliamentary election resulted in no majority. — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026

Israel’s prime minister, who only reluctantly acceded to Trump’s 2025 Gaza cease-fire, has managed to continue waging war in Gaza without incurring significant costs. — Khaled Elgindy, Foreign Affairs, 8 Oct. 2026

Malaysia's prime minister has defended the repatriation policy, saying his country cannot host the undocumented foreign nationals indefinitely and that Myanmar must take responsibility for its citizens. — ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1655, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for prime minister

• administer
• sinister

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