primeval, primitive

primeval, primitive
Primeval, a rarely used word, means "original," "belonging to the earliest age or ages." It is derived from a Latin word meaning "in the first period of life" and was thus used in Longfellow's Evangeline: "This is the forest primeval." Primitive, from a Latin term meaning "first" or "in the first place," is more widely used than primeval and has several meanings: (1) "uncivilized" and "savage" (the primitive lusts of mankind), (2) "of the earliest period" (the primitive beginnings of this country), (3) "unaffected by civilization" (primitive tribal customs), (4) "crude and unpolished" (primitive living conditions). Primitive also has certain related meanings with special applications in biology, architecture, anthropology, and the fine arts. Related words are primordial, prehistoric, primal, pristine, antediluvian, aboriginal, and original.

Dictionary of problem words and expressions. . 1975.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • primeval — See primeval, primitive …   Dictionary of problem words and expressions

  • primitive — See primeval, primitive …   Dictionary of problem words and expressions

  • primitive — Synonyms and related words: Bronze Age man, Gothic, Hominidae, Iron Age man, Neanderthal, Stone Age man, ab ovo, abecedarian, aboriginal, aborigine, ancestral, ancient, animal, antediluvian, antenatal, antepatriarchal, anthropoid, ape man,… …   Moby Thesaurus

  • Primitive — Prim i*tive, a. [L. primitivus, fr. primus the first: cf. F. primitif. See {Prime}, a.] 1. Of or pertaining to the beginning or origin, or to early times; original; primordial; primeval; first; as, primitive innocence; the primitive church. Our… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Primitive axes of coordinate — Primitive Prim i*tive, a. [L. primitivus, fr. primus the first: cf. F. primitif. See {Prime}, a.] 1. Of or pertaining to the beginning or origin, or to early times; original; primordial; primeval; first; as, primitive innocence; the primitive… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Primitive chord — Primitive Prim i*tive, a. [L. primitivus, fr. primus the first: cf. F. primitif. See {Prime}, a.] 1. Of or pertaining to the beginning or origin, or to early times; original; primordial; primeval; first; as, primitive innocence; the primitive… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Primitive circle — Primitive Prim i*tive, a. [L. primitivus, fr. primus the first: cf. F. primitif. See {Prime}, a.] 1. Of or pertaining to the beginning or origin, or to early times; original; primordial; primeval; first; as, primitive innocence; the primitive… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Primitive colors — Primitive Prim i*tive, a. [L. primitivus, fr. primus the first: cf. F. primitif. See {Prime}, a.] 1. Of or pertaining to the beginning or origin, or to early times; original; primordial; primeval; first; as, primitive innocence; the primitive… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Primitive Fathers — Primitive Prim i*tive, a. [L. primitivus, fr. primus the first: cf. F. primitif. See {Prime}, a.] 1. Of or pertaining to the beginning or origin, or to early times; original; primordial; primeval; first; as, primitive innocence; the primitive… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Primitive groove — Primitive Prim i*tive, a. [L. primitivus, fr. primus the first: cf. F. primitif. See {Prime}, a.] 1. Of or pertaining to the beginning or origin, or to early times; original; primordial; primeval; first; as, primitive innocence; the primitive… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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