Dictionary.com
definitions

primal

[prahy-muh l]
|
SEE MORE 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.

RELATED CONTENT

beast modeRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE
What word do scientists use to describe the most ginormous star ever discovered?If you find something that’s bigger than you thought was physically possible, how would you describe it? You start with what you already have, which is R136a1, the equivalent of a cosmic ZIP code. The R stands for Radcliffe Observatory, which located the star in the first place (long before anyone knew its immensity.) Massive isn’t the same thing as “big”  in astronomy.  Mass is roughly equivalent …
READ MORE

RELATED WORDS

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

Nearby words

  1. prima inter pares,
  2. prima-facie evidence,
  3. primacy,
  4. primaeval,
  5. primage,
  6. primal scene,
  7. primal scream,
  8. primal therapy,
  9. primaquine,
  10. primaries

Origin of primal

From the Medieval Latin word prīmālis, dating back to 1535–45. See prime, -al1
Related formsnon·pri·mal, adjective
Can be confusedprimal primeval primordial
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for primal

British Dictionary definitions for primal

primal

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
Word Origin and History for primal

primal

adj.

c.1600, "belonging to the earliest age," from Medieval Latin primalis "primary," from Latin primus "first" (see prime (adj.)). Psychological sense, in reference to Freud's theory of behaviors springing from the earliest stage of emotional development, is attested from 1918. Primal scream is from a best-selling book of 1971.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for primal

primal

[prī′məl]

adj.

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