primal

[prahy-muhl]

adjective

1. first; original; primeval.

   primal eras before the appearance of life on earth.

2. of first importance; fundamental.

   the primal resources of a nation.

primal

/ ˈpraɪməl /

adjective

1. first or original

2. chief or most important

Other Word Forms

• nonprimal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of primal¹

From the Medieval Latin word prīmālis, dating back to 1535–45. See prime, -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of primal¹

C17: from Medieval Latin prīmālis, from Latin prīmus first

Example Sentences

At his best, which was often, Day-Lewis pursued acting with a primal clarity.

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Sonically, Lorde and Stack sought what she calls a “primal” energy in the music; she was constantly pushing to peel back more layers of the sound.

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Consciously or not, Leonberg has made a primal film about helplessness.

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The director of a much-anticipated new film version of Wuthering Heights has said she wants it to convey the "primal" feeling she had when she first read the book as a teenager.

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Her sounds careen and resonate in avant-garde ways that feel primal, even tectonic.

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Related Words

• primordial