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PREMIER/PREMIERE |
These words are, respectively, the masculine and feminine forms of the word for “first” in French; but they have become differentiated in English. Only the masculine form is used as an adjective, as in “Tidy-Pool is the premier pool-cleaning firm in Orange County.” The confusion arises when these words are used as nouns. The prime minister of a parliamentary government is known as a “premier.” The opening night of a film or play is its “premiere.”
“Premiere” as a verb is common in the arts and in show business (“the show premiered on PBS” ), but it is less acceptable in other contexts ("the state government premiered its new welfare system” ). Use “introduced,” or, if real innovation is involved, “pioneered.”