primeval
Americanadjective
adjective
Synonym Usage
See prime.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of primeval
First recorded in 1765–75; from Latin prīmaev(us) “young” ( prīm(us) prime + aev(um) age + -us adjective suffix) + -al 1
Explanation
Use primeval when you want to suggest something has existed from the beginning. The Big Bang? Dinosaur bones? Ancient trees? Yep — primeval. The adjective primeval is from the Latin root words primus, meaning "first," and aevum, meaning "age." You might have an irrational, primeval fear of monsters — meaning that your monster fear has been there for as long as you can remember.
Vocabulary lists containing primeval
The Call of the Wild
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"A Sound of Thunder" by Ray Bradbury
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The Red Pyramid
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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.
The story is based on the Elmore Leonard novel “City Primeval: High Noon in Detroit.”
From Seattle Times • Jul. 16, 2023
Also returning: the spirit of Elmore Leonard, who invented the Givens character in the 1990s and whose novel “City Primeval: High Noon in Detroit” inspired the new series.
From New York Times • Jun. 1, 2023
Hannah Spearritt became an actress, appearing in ITV's Primeval, as well as having recurring roles in Casualty and EastEnders.
From BBC • Feb. 14, 2023
But so is familiarity, as is the case with Hulu's extension of Mel Brooks' classic with "History of the World, Part II" and FX's continuation of Raylan Givens' adventures with "Justified: City Primeval."
From Salon • Jan. 21, 2023
Primeval bubbles surfaced it with lethargical majesty as Billy Pilgrim stared.
From "Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut
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.
