Premier vs. Premiere How to Choose the Right Word

The words premier and premiere are related in meaning—but theyre not interchangeable. Premier, which entered the English language first, originated with the Latin word primarius, meaning principal. Premiere, which didnt enter the English language until the 19th century, comes from France. How to Use Premier The word premier can be used as a noun or an adjective. As a noun, it relates to heads of state. Many nations have premiers rather than presidents, kings, or emperors. As an adjective, premier means the best, top-notch, or first in rank; for example, The Smithsonian Institution is Americas premier museum, or New York is the premier location for top-quality theater. How to Use Premiere Traditionally, the word premiere has been used as a noun, meaning a first public performance, as in the premiere of the newest Disney movie. Since the 1930s, however, the word has gained traction as a verb with essentially the same meaning, as in The new Disney movie will premiere in Los Angeles). Because the word premiere invariably relates to a production of some sort, it is often used in advertising. The word, of course, implies newness, but it is possible to premiere a play, which then premieres as a movie and then later premieres as a television production. Premiere is used less often to describe the first appearance of an actor or actress, as in Bill Smiths premiere performance. Examples The following examples make it clear that a premier is a political leader; a person, place, or thing described as premier is the best of its kind; and a premiere is an event. The prime minister was briefed on the case before meeting the Spanish premier. (The Spanish premier is the head of his country.)The premier attended the premiere of the new Spielberg movie. (The head of a country attended the first showing of a movie.)This remarkable vineyard makes a premier chablis. (In this sentence the word extraordinary or excellent could be substituted for premier.)The Bayreuth Festival began with the world premiere of the Ring cycle in 1876. (In this case, premiere is used to describe the first-ever presentation of a set of operas.)Former Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie premiered her new video over the  weekend. (In this case, premiere is used as a verb meaning showed for the first time.)Joe Smith premiered in the movie Death by Accident and later appeared in a long series of murder mysteries. (In this sentence, the word premiere is used to mean appeared for the first time.) How to Remember the Difference One of the best ways to choose correctly between premiere and premier is to connect the e at the end of premiere with the idea of entertainment, which begins with an e. If the subject at hand is the opening of some type of production, such as a play or movie, choose the word that ends with the letter e. Otherwise, choose premier, the word without an e at the end. Sources Premier vs. Premiere: Whats the Difference?  Writing Explained, 24 Oct. 2015. Premiere.  Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster.