adj. & n.
--adj.
1. early, ancient; at an early stage of civilization (primitive man).
2 undeveloped, crude, simple (primitive methods).
3 original, primary.
4 Gram. & Philol. (of words or language) radical; not derivative.
5 Math. (of a line, figure, etc.) from which another is derived, from which some construction begins, etc.
6 (of a colour) primary.
7 Geol. of the earliest period.
8 Biol. appearing in the earliest or a very early stage of growth or evolution.
--n.
1. a a painter of the period before the Renaissance. b a modern imitator of such. c an untutored painter with a direct na{iuml}ve style. d a picture by such a painter.
2 a primitive word, line, etc.
Phrases and idioms:
the Primitive Church the Christian Church in its earliest times.
Derivatives:
primitively adv. primitiveness n.
Etymology: ME f. OF primitif -ive or L primitivus first of its kind f. primitus in the first place f. primus first