Step 1: DNA polymerase can only add deoxyribonucleotides to a pre-existing 3-prime hydroxyl end; it cannot join the first two free mononucleotides on its own. So replication cannot start de novo on a bare single-stranded template.
Step 2: To provide that starting 3-prime end, the enzyme primase (an RNA polymerase) lays down a short RNA primer using the DNA as template. This primer initiates DNA replication.
Step 3: DNA polymerase then extends the primer with deoxyribonucleotides, and later the RNA primer is removed and replaced by DNA. Hence the primer functions in the initiation of DNA replication, not in transcription, translation, or termination.