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primal

[ prahy-muh l ]
/ ˈpraɪ məl /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR primal ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

first; original; primeval: primal eras before the appearance of life on earth.
of first importance; fundamental: the primal resources of a nation.

Words related to primal

primordial, aboriginal, ancient, central, chief, earliest, early, first, fundamental, highest, old, original, paramount, past, prehistoric, primitive, principal, pristine

Words nearby primal

prima inter pares, prima-facie evidence, primacy, primaeval, primage, primal, primal scene, primal scream, primal therapy, primaquine, primaries

Origin of primal

From the Medieval Latin word prīmālis, dating back to 1535–45. See prime, -al1

OTHER WORDS FROM primal

non·pri·mal, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH primal

primal primeval primordial
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Examples from the Web for primal

British Dictionary definitions for primal

primal
/ (ˈpraɪməl) /

adjective

first or original
chief or most important

Word Origin for primal

C17: from Medieval Latin prīmālis, from Latin prīmus first
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for primal

primal
[ prī′məl ]

adj.

Being first in time; original.
Of first or central importance; primary.

Other words from primal

pri•mal′i•ty (-măl′ĭ-tē) n.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.