Word
primordial
Phoneticspri·mor·dial
US/pɹaɪˈmɔɹdiəɫ/
UK/pɹɪmˈɔːdɪəl/
Definition
adj. existing from the very beginning of time or the start of the world. It describes things that are basic, ancient, and have not changed much.
adj. existing at or from the beginning of time; primeval. Often describes the earliest stages of biological or geological development, or fundamental human instincts.
Examples
“The forest had a primordial, ancient feel.”
“Scientists study the chemical makeup of meteorites to understand the primordial state of our solar system.”
“The novel explores the primordial fear of the dark, suggesting that even modern humans carry the survival instincts of their distant ancestors.”
Examples
simple
“The forest had a primordial, ancient feel.”
contextual
“Scientists study the chemical makeup of meteorites to understand the primordial state of our solar system.”
complex
“The novel explores the primordial fear of the dark, suggesting that even modern humans carry the survival instincts of their distant ancestors.”
Usage
Typically used attributively before a noun; often pairs with 'soup', 'ooze', or 'instinct'.
Real-World Examples
Common in science writing
“The early system may have been more like other moon systems and only became the unbalanced enigma it is today after the gravitational capture of Triton, which likely tore apart the primordial moons.” “Primordial black holes may occasionally pass through white dwarf stars and trigger enormous Type Ia supernova explosions.” Etymology
From the Latin prīmōrdiālis (“of the beginning”). Compare primordium and -al.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domains
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/primordial