Definition of "primary source" [primary source]

• A historical document that was created at or near the time of the events studied, by a known person, for a known purpose (noun)

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• "Armstrong name began illustriously The primary source used for the early history of the Armstrongs in Scotland is James L. Armstrong, Chronicles of theArmstrongs Salem, MA: Higginson Book Co., 1902."
• "One group of historians, known in modern times as the vulgate tradition, used Cleitarchus as its primary source but supplemented his work with other authors."
• "As cited in The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, the primary source is a collection of just seven enigmatic documents lodged in the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris, which are known as the Dossiers secrets secret dossiers12."