primal
Americanadjective
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first; original; primeval.
primal eras before the appearance of life on earth.
-
of first importance; fundamental.
the primal resources of a nation.
adjective
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first or original
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chief or most important
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of primal
From the Medieval Latin word prīmālis, dating back to 1535–45. See prime, -al 1
Explanation
The adjective primal describes something that's essential or basic, like the primal urge to protect yourself and your family from harm. The Latin root of primal is primus, which means first. If your friend talks about his primal self, he means the most basic, important part of who he is. You can think of this as a first priority, just as the primal urges of all animals is survival. Primal can also describe something that's original, or at its earliest stage, like a primal or primeval forest, the most ancient example of that kind of terrain.
Vocabulary lists containing primal
The Lightning Thief
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Vocabulary from the Introduction to "Reality is Broken" by Jane McGonigal
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"Democracy in America, Vol. 1" by Alexis de Tocqueville, Introduction–Chapter 5
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And yet: The sheer number of YouTube and Spotify playlists of TV themes old and new suggests that our primal pop-culture brains long for some of the familiarity and comfort they once reliably triggered.
From Salon • Apr. 25, 2026
“There’s a primal fear and fascination baked into our DNA with such majestic beasts,” Choudhury says.
From Salon • Apr. 12, 2026
It’s a simple but primal character motivation that Beetz sells with a wild-eyed ferocity.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026
As societies emerged, we began to develop egos, those brittle parts of our selves taxed with negotiating between our primal urges and the constraints of a civilized order.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 3, 2026
There’s a sort of primal hostility all around us, hidden by a veneer of suburban politeness.
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
