ENGLISH
REFERENCE

primordial

adj.
C1 Advanced US //pɹaɪˈmɔɹdiəɫ// UK //pɹɪmˈɔːdɪəl// pri·mor·dial

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.


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.

Synonyms
Origin

From the Latin prīmōrdiālis (“of the beginning”). Compare primordium and -al.

Usage

Typically used attributively before a noun; often pairs with 'soup', 'ooze', or 'instinct'.

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