Pronunciation: ' pri-m ə -tiv
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English primitif, from Latin primitivus first formed, from primitiae first fruits, from primus first ― more at PRIME
Date: 14th century
1 a : not derived : ORIGINAL , PRIMARY b : assumed as a basis especially : AXIOMATIC < primitive concepts>
2 a : of or relating to the earliest age or period : PRIMEVAL <the primitive church> b : closely approximating an early ancestral type : little evolved < primitive mammals> c : belonging to or characteristic of an early stage of development : CRUDE , RUDIMENTARY < primitive technology> d : of, relating to, or constituting the assumed parent speech of related languages < primitive Germanic>
3 a : ELEMENTAL , NATURAL <our primitive feelings of vengeance ― John Mackwood> b : of, relating to, or produced by a people or culture that is nonindustrial and often nonliterate and tribal < primitive art> c : NAIVE d (1) : SELF-TAUGHT , UNTUTORED < primitive craftsmen> (2) : produced by a self-taught artist <a primitive painting>
– prim · i · tive · ly adverb
– prim · i · tive · ness noun
– prim · i · tiv · i · ty \ ˌ pri-m ə - ' ti-v ə -t ē \ noun