If you’re a movie buff, you have probably seen the words premier and premiere used quite a lot. But what do these two very similar words actually mean? 

In this article, we will break down the difference between premier and premiere, explain the context in which they are typically used, and give examples of how we use premier and premiere in sentences.  

premier vs. premiere

The word premier is used as a noun and as an adjective. As a noun, premier is often used as a synonym for prime minister, the highest-ranking leader in a parliamentary government. As an adjective, premier describes something or someone of the highest rank or the first in time (that is, the oldest). 

Here are examples of all three uses of premier:

• The Italian premier met with other European leaders this morning. 
• The World Health Organization is the premier authority on medical information.
• Many fans still prefer the author’s premier novel to her newer books.

The word premiere is typically used as a noun and a verb. As a noun, premiere refers to the first public performance or unveiling of a movie, play, opera, or other dramatic work. As a verb, premiere means to present something publicly for the first time or to publicly perform a role for the first time. 

Here are examples of these uses of premiere:

• The lead actors posed for pictures at the premiere of their new summer movie. 
• The theater plans to premiere its new play later this winter. 
• Critics are excited to see the young actor premiere as Romeo in next month’s performance. 

The word premiere is also used as an adjective to mean “first” or “earliest.” In this sense, premiere can be used as a synonym for premier. However, only premier is used as an adjective to mean “highest in importance or rank.” 

For example:

• The director’s premiere/premier (first) film was about ghost pirates. 
• She is the premier (highest in status) director in Hollywood.

To help remember the difference, note that “first public performance” premiere ends in an e like movie. And this premiere is the one that can be used as a verb. 

Examples of premier and premiere in a sentence

Let’s debut some example sentences that show how we typically use premier and premiere.

• The Canadian premier discussed trade with the American secretary of state. 
• The prestigious studio’s premier video game featured friendly robot squirrels. 
• The movie mogul gave a grandiose speech at the premiere in New York City. 
• The studio is planning to premiere several new fantasy films over the next few years.
• The French premier attended the extravagant premiere of his daughter’s first feature film.