Primitive
adjective
Related to an early, less complex, stage of development.
Primitive tools were used by early humans.
Often appears as...
- primitive tools
- primitive species
noun
A basic or original element or characteristic.
Trust is a primitive of human relationships.
Often appears as...
- primitive of relationship
- primitive of culture
Usage tips
Formal
Academic
adjective
Not developed or derived from anything else.
The cave is in its primitive state, untouched by modern influence.
Often appears as...
- primitive state
- primitive form
noun
A person belonging to a preliterate, nonindustrial society or culture.
The tribe's primitive lived in harmony with nature.
Often appears as...
- primitive life
- primitive culture
adjective
Related to the earliest age or period.
The museum exhibits primitive artworks from ancient civilizations.
Often appears as...
- primitive art
- primitive civilization
adjective
Not based on or conforming to what is generally done or believed.
Their way of life is considered primitive by modern standards.
Often appears as...
- primitive life
- primitive behavior
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Related to an early, less complex, stage of development.
Primitive tools were used by early humans.
Often appears as...
- primitive tools
- primitive species
noun
A basic or original element or characteristic.
Trust is a primitive of human relationships.
Often appears as...
- primitive of relationship
- primitive of culture
Usage tips
Formal
Academic
adjective
Not developed or derived from anything else.
The cave is in its primitive state, untouched by modern influence.
Often appears as...
- primitive state
- primitive form
noun
A person belonging to a preliterate, nonindustrial society or culture.
The tribe's primitive lived in harmony with nature.
Often appears as...
- primitive life
- primitive culture
adjective
Related to the earliest age or period.
The museum exhibits primitive artworks from ancient civilizations.
Often appears as...
- primitive art
- primitive civilization
adjective
Not based on or conforming to what is generally done or believed.
Their way of life is considered primitive by modern standards.
Often appears as...
- primitive life
- primitive behavior
Usage tips
Disapproving
Definition 1 of 6
Pro Tip 1/2Early Development
Think early steps in progress, like something not yet advanced.
Fetching water from a well is a primitive method compared to modern plumbing.
Pro Tip 2/2Simplicity
Refers to the most basic level of something, without extra features.
He crafted a primitive shelter from branches and leaves.
Pro Tip 1/2Early Development
Think early steps in progress, like something not yet advanced.
Fetching water from a well is a primitive method compared to modern plumbing.
Pro Tip 2/2Simplicity
Refers to the most basic level of something, without extra features.
He crafted a primitive shelter from branches and leaves.
Pro Tip 1/2Early Development
Think early steps in progress, like something not yet advanced.
Fetching water from a well is a primitive method compared to modern plumbing.
Pro Tip 2/2Simplicity
Refers to the most basic level of something, without extra features.
He crafted a primitive shelter from branches and leaves.
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Video examples
The science of stage...
That fear of being seen as an awful idiot is a threat reaction from a primitive part of your brain that's very hard to control. It's the fight or flight response, a self-protective process seen in a range of animals, most of which don't give speeches. But we have a wise partner in the study of freaking out.
Video examples
Sir David Attenborough...
fully grown and neither are they hedgehogs although they seem to resemble them so closely they are a strange extremely primitive creature called a tenrec and they live nowhere else in the world but in madagascar the local people have superstitions and taboos connected with nearly all their
Video examples
Why does the universe...
that they can form the abyss, that it's pregnant with being. They can call a world into existence out of nothing. But that's a very primitive view of what a physical law is, right? We know that physical laws are actually generalized descriptions of patterns and regularities
Video examples
CERN's supercollider PIPE...
in that first generation of stars, could fuse with hydrogen to form water, liquid water on the surface. On at least one, and maybe only one of those planets, primitive life evolved, which evolved over millions of years into things that walked upright and left footprints
Video examples
How do you explain...
They postulate fundamental laws governing them, like the laws of gravity or of quantum mechanics. These fundamental properties and laws aren't explained in terms of anything more basic. Rather, they're taken as primitive, and you build up the world from there.
Video examples
New Human Ancestor...
comparing their morphology to other early hominids we can see that we would place them right at the base of the lineage that leads to us we never seen a nonhuman that shares so many primitive and yet sometimes advanced characters
Video examples
The dawn of the age of...
The computer universe is both marvelous and primitive. It's a universe based on causality. As developers, we dream the different causes and then we program the different effects. Double click on an icon, that's a cause.
Video examples
Where do genes come...
The early life forms were primitive microbes with a basic set of genes for the basic tasks required to stay alive. They passed down those basic genes to their offspring through billions of generations.
Video examples
Earth 101 PIPE National...
primitive life existed in the form of microbial organisms. They and the ensuing billions of years gave rise to a range of more advanced life forms that survived in Earth's seas, lands and skies.
Video examples
Combatting the decline...
traditional herbs and techniques that are ancestresses used to naturally afro hair somehow we've been persuaded that our culture is primitive and barbaric we are quickly losing the enriching
Video examples
The science of stage...
That fear of being seen as an awful idiot is a threat reaction from a primitive part of your brain that's very hard to control. It's the fight or flight response, a self-protective process seen in a range of animals, most of which don't give speeches. But we have a wise partner in the study of freaking out.
Video examples
Sir David Attenborough...
fully grown and neither are they hedgehogs although they seem to resemble them so closely they are a strange extremely primitive creature called a tenrec and they live nowhere else in the world but in madagascar the local people have superstitions and taboos connected with nearly all their
Video examples
Why does the universe...
that they can form the abyss, that it's pregnant with being. They can call a world into existence out of nothing. But that's a very primitive view of what a physical law is, right? We know that physical laws are actually generalized descriptions of patterns and regularities
Video examples
CERN's supercollider PIPE...
in that first generation of stars, could fuse with hydrogen to form water, liquid water on the surface. On at least one, and maybe only one of those planets, primitive life evolved, which evolved over millions of years into things that walked upright and left footprints
Video examples
How do you explain...
They postulate fundamental laws governing them, like the laws of gravity or of quantum mechanics. These fundamental properties and laws aren't explained in terms of anything more basic. Rather, they're taken as primitive, and you build up the world from there.
Video examples
New Human Ancestor...
comparing their morphology to other early hominids we can see that we would place them right at the base of the lineage that leads to us we never seen a nonhuman that shares so many primitive and yet sometimes advanced characters
Video examples
The dawn of the age of...
The computer universe is both marvelous and primitive. It's a universe based on causality. As developers, we dream the different causes and then we program the different effects. Double click on an icon, that's a cause.
Video examples
Where do genes come...
The early life forms were primitive microbes with a basic set of genes for the basic tasks required to stay alive. They passed down those basic genes to their offspring through billions of generations.
Video examples
Earth 101 PIPE National...
primitive life existed in the form of microbial organisms. They and the ensuing billions of years gave rise to a range of more advanced life forms that survived in Earth's seas, lands and skies.
Video examples
Combatting the decline...
traditional herbs and techniques that are ancestresses used to naturally afro hair somehow we've been persuaded that our culture is primitive and barbaric we are quickly losing the enriching
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Roisin Murphy
Irish Musician
That idea of not always being in control of the primitive parts of yourself - the bits that fall in love or the bits that dance or lose the plot or drink too much - and putting that across... that's pop for me. It's playing with all the different colours of the rainbow of life.
Quote examples
John Astin
American Actor
We are running ourselves into a damaged earth. But I am optimistic. I believe that we can change; we must change. As a human race, we are very young and quite primitive. The sooner we learn the greatness of humanity the better off we will all be.
Quote examples
H. P. Lovecraft
American Novelist
The man or nation of high culture may acknowledge to great lengths the restraints imposed by conventions and honour, but beyond a certain point, primitive will or desire cannot be curbed.
Quote examples
Anna Freud
Austrian Psychologist
What I have always wanted for myself is much more primitive. It is probably nothing more than the affection of the people with whom I am in contact, and their good opinion of me.
Quote examples
Herbert Read
English Poet
The point I am making is that in the more primitive forms of society the individual is merely a unit; in more developed forms of society he is an independent personality.
Quote examples
Ashwin Sanghi
Indian Author
Mythology is a set of primitive lies that people rarely believe. This is rather different from history, which is a set of lies that people actually believe.
Quote examples
Varg Vikernes
Norwegian Musician
Rock and roll promotes a primitive and destructive lifestyle. Metal can be seen as a subgenre of rock and roll, and thus, metal is not much better.
Quote examples
Charles Lindbergh
American Aviator
We Americans are a primitive people... Americans seem to have little respect for the law or the rights of others.
Quote examples
Norman Mailer
American Novelist
Hip is the sophistication of the wise primitive in a giant jungle.
Quote examples
Louis Leakey
British Scientist
The Dalmatian breed of dog has many primitive characteristics.
Quote examples
Roisin Murphy
Irish Musician
That idea of not always being in control of the primitive parts of yourself - the bits that fall in love or the bits that dance or lose the plot or drink too much - and putting that across... that's pop for me. It's playing with all the different colours of the rainbow of life.
Quote examples
John Astin
American Actor
We are running ourselves into a damaged earth. But I am optimistic. I believe that we can change; we must change. As a human race, we are very young and quite primitive. The sooner we learn the greatness of humanity the better off we will all be.
Quote examples
H. P. Lovecraft
American Novelist
The man or nation of high culture may acknowledge to great lengths the restraints imposed by conventions and honour, but beyond a certain point, primitive will or desire cannot be curbed.
Quote examples
Anna Freud
Austrian Psychologist
What I have always wanted for myself is much more primitive. It is probably nothing more than the affection of the people with whom I am in contact, and their good opinion of me.
Quote examples
Herbert Read
English Poet
The point I am making is that in the more primitive forms of society the individual is merely a unit; in more developed forms of society he is an independent personality.
Quote examples
Ashwin Sanghi
Indian Author
Mythology is a set of primitive lies that people rarely believe. This is rather different from history, which is a set of lies that people actually believe.
Quote examples
Varg Vikernes
Norwegian Musician
Rock and roll promotes a primitive and destructive lifestyle. Metal can be seen as a subgenre of rock and roll, and thus, metal is not much better.
Quote examples
Charles Lindbergh
American Aviator
We Americans are a primitive people... Americans seem to have little respect for the law or the rights of others.
Quote examples
Norman Mailer
American Novelist
Hip is the sophistication of the wise primitive in a giant jungle.
Quote examples
Louis Leakey
British Scientist
The Dalmatian breed of dog has many primitive characteristics.
Example 1 of 10
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