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
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:

Other Word Forms of Primitive

Noun

Singular:
primitive
Plural:
primitives

Origin 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

Find Similar Words

Find similar words to primitive using the buttons below.

Words Starting With

Words Ending With

Unscrambles

primitive