Premier vs. Premiere—Which is Correct? (Grammar + Examples)

Is it premier or premiere? Have you ever used the incorrect word or got confused because of the similarity of the two words? We are here to save you from such embarrassing moments. Premier and premiere are such two words that many people use interchanging without knowing the difference.

Learn the key differences in this short American English guide…

Premier vs. Premiere: The Difference 

• Premier 

Premier is usually used as both adjective and a noun. It has different meanings. As a noun, the word means the head of a country or state. In many countries, they use the term premier for their prime ministers. Premier can also substitute words like king, president, or chief position.

Another meaning of premier is top-notch, outstanding, first-class quality, or first in rank. When used as an adjective this word means most prominent or distinguished. It also means first in time or earlier. 

• Premiere

Premiere with an “E” at the end means a first-time presentation or public performance of a movie, play, or TV show. It’s a noun and a well-known word for movie lovers. 

Sentence Examples of Premier 

• Jane Austen was the premier author of her generation, and she continues to teach us lessons through her writings. 
• The premier ice cream store was excellent; they had varieties of flavors. 
• Barack Obama is the first African American premier of the United States. 

Sentence Examples of Premiere 

• Walking the red carpet at a movie premiere was Maria’s dream. 
• Titanic’s premiere pulled all the big stars under one roof.
• My friend went to the premiere of the new star war movie because he is a huge fan.  

Origin of the Words Premier and Premiere 

Premier and premiere are related and have similar meanings due to their origin. Both these words come from the French adjective premier. It means the first quality or first in a row or sequence. Premiere wasn’t an English word till the late 19th century. 

However, the premier word was found before the 15th century. Some experts also believe that the word premier originated from the Latin word primarious. It means principal.

Understanding the origins of the terms helps trace their original meanings, and you might learn the roots, and it may become easier for you to remember the words and use them correctly.

Can Premiere be Used as a Verb? 

People used premiere as a verb in the late 1920s. However, that way of using this word was controversial and met with criticism from language experts. Yet, it is widely used as a verb but not in the entertainment context. It can mean – for the first time ever. Here is an example:

• The seventh grade premiered a new sport game, and everyone at school loved it. 
• They premiered a new degree course in our college. 

Simple Trick to Remember the Difference Between Premier and Premiere 

As you already know, premiere means the first presentation of a performance. The word is commonly used for movie premieres. The word movie ends with an e, and the premiere has an extra e at the end. This way, you can remember the difference between premier and premiere. Easy, isn’t it? 

Conclusion 

We hope that the similarity of premier vs premiere may not confuse you anymore. It’s simple if you understand the roots and meanings. Happy learning!