FromLate Latinprimagium. (The French word post-dates the English.)

primage (countable anduncountable,pluralprimages)

1. (archaic) A payment made for loading or unloading a ship, or for care of goods during transit by ship.
   • 1818,John Adolphus,The Political State of the British Empire, volume 3,page197:

     By the bill of lading the maſter undertakes to deliver the goods on payment of freight withprimage and average accuſtomed.

2. (archaic,UK) Animportduty levied by aguild ofharbourpilots(especially at Kingston-upon-Hull and Newcastle-upon-Tyne).
3. (Australia,New Zealand) An additional import duty levied bycustoms.
   • 1932, E. T. McPhee (Commonwealth Statistician),Official Year Book of the Commonwealth of Australia: No. 25 - 1932,

     The rate ofprimage duty was subsequently increased to 4 per cent. as from the 6th November, 1930.

• Primage in theEncyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)

Fromprime +‎-age.

primage (countable anduncountable,pluralprimages)

1. (engineering,rare)Droplets of watersuspended in steam (especially in thecylinder of asteam engine).
   • 1883, Emory Edwards,Modern American Locomotive Engines: Their Design, Construction and Management,page75:

     Of these temperatures, only one, the second, indicatesprimage; all others exhibit a slight superheat.

• epigram

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