Primer (disambiguation)

Primer can refer to more than one thing:

• In molecular biology, a primer is nucleic acid strand (or related molecule) that serves as a starting point for DNA replication.
• In pyrotechnics a primer is also a common name for any substance used to start a fire.
• In ammunition and firearms a primer is a small charge that explodes when struck with force that ignites the gunpowder in ammunition. See: Percussion cap, internal ballistics.
• In painting, a primer is a layer of paint put down on metal surfaces to enable it to better hold a coat of enamel paint. "Primer red," a dark reddish paint that gets its color from iron oxide, is frequently seen on vehicles where the owner has done or is doing their own body work.
• In education a primer is a textbook formerly used in primary education to teach the alphabet and other basic concepts. The famous New England Primer contained moralistic rhymes associated with the colonial American Puritan culture.
• Primer is a 2004 feature film written and directed by Shane Carruth about time travel. It won the Grand Jury prize at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival.
• On lawnmowers, the primer (or: primer bulb) is the button used to prime the engine with gasoline before starting it up.
• Primer was a comic book published by Comico Comics.