Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

(?; 48)

Noun.

[F.]

(Com.)

A charge in addition to the freight; originally, a gratuity to the captain for his particular care of the goods (sometimes called

hat money

), but now belonging to the owners or freighters of the vessel, unless by special agreement the whole or part is assigned to the captain.

Homans.

Noun.

In commerce, a small duty payable to the master and mariners of a ship.

primage ‎(plural primages)

(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, page 197,
  By the bill of lading the maſter undertakes to deliver the goods on payment of freight with primage and average accuſtomed.
(archaic, Britain) An import duty levied by a guild of harbour pilots (especially at Kingston-upon-Hull and Newcastle-upon-Tyne).
(Australia, New Zealand) An additional import duty levied by customs.
- 1932, E. T. McPhee (Commonwealth Statistician), Official Year Book of the Commonwealth of Australia: No. 25 - 1932,
  The rate of primage duty was subsequently increased to 4 per cent. as from the 6th November, 1930.

From prime +‎ -age.

primage ‎(plural primages)

(engineering, rare) Droplets of water suspended in steam (especially in the cylinder of a steam engine).
- 1883, Emory Edwards, Modern American Locomotive Engines: Their Design, Construction and Management, page 75,
  Of these temperatures, only one, the second, indicates primage; all others exhibit a slight superheat.