a primary in which only members of a particular party may vote
Compare open primary
closed primary in American English
US
see direct primary election
closed primary in American English
noun
a direct primary in which only persons meeting tests of party membership may vote
Word origin
[1940–45, Amer.]This word is first recorded in the period 1940–45. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: Rh factor, airlift, silkscreen, snorkel, whiteout
Examples of 'closed primary' in a sentence
closed primary
Some insist upon closed primaries where only registered voters for a party (a looser definition than party members) are allowed to vote.