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

The plotting doesn’t have any subterranean levels either, trusting solely in its primal display of sweat, hormones and heartbreak.

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In 1961, a small child looks with fear into the eyes of a costumed Santa in New York City, a primal reaction that transcends decades.

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The character’s loss is so tangible you can feel it through the screen as if she’s voicing the most primal version of grief possible.

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Director Emerald Fennel's has said she wants to convey the "primal" feeling she had when she first read the book as a teenager.

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But with Lawrence, someone so known for her authenticity, the connection is genuine, on full display as Grace spends the following months slipping between her personhood and her primal id.

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Related Words

• primordial