Primitive Definition
prĭmĭ-tĭv
primitives
adjective
Of or existing in the beginning or the earliest times or ages; ancient; original.
Webster's New World
Of or relating to an early or original stage or state; primeval.
Life in the primitive ocean.
American Heritage
Characteristic or imitative of the earliest ages.
Webster's New World
Having developed early in the evolutionary history of a group.
Hair is a primitive trait of mammals.
American Heritage
Crude, simple, rough, uncivilized, etc.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
noun
primitives
A person belonging to a nonindustrial, often tribal society, especially a society characterized by a low level of economic or technological complexity.
American Heritage
A primitive person or thing.
Webster's New World
An artist or a work of art that shows ingenuousness and lack of formal training.
Webster's New World
One that is at a low or early stage of development.
American Heritage
An artist or a work of art of an early, esp. preliterate, culture.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
- primitive person
- primitivism
- aborigine
- aboriginal
Other Word Forms of Primitive
Noun
Singular:
primitive
Plural:
primitivesOrigin of Primitive
-
Middle English from Old French primitif, primitive from Latin prīmitīvus from prīmitus at first from prīmus first per1 in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
-
From Old French primitif, from Latin primitivus (“first or earliest of its kind"), from primus (“first"); see prime.
From Wiktionary
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