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First things first. "Primeval" comes from the Latin words primus, meaning "first, and aevum, meaning "age." In Latin, those terms were brought together to form "primaevus," a word that means "of or relating to the earliest ages." Other English words that descend from "primus" include "prime" and "primary," "primordial" (a synonym of "primeval"), and "primitive." "Primus" also gave rise to some terms for folks who are number one in charge, including "prince" and "principal."
Examples of primeval in a Sentence
Leo Barraclough, Variety, 3 Apr. 2024
Thus the primeval power of sudden darkness in the daytime could lead to some future hit tunes, action film sequences or fantasy novels.
—Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 31 Mar. 2024
Ancient history About 3,000 years ago, primeval lawmakers on the seafaring island of Rhodes faced a conundrum.
—Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 31 Mar. 2024
The forests of the eastern United States are another puzzle: European settlers cut down 95 percent of the primeval woods, yet only four species of bird have gone extinct.
—John Fleischman, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
Enlarge Liu Yang On an island off the coast of New Zealand, in the shadows of a primeval forest, an eerie sound resonates through the night.
—Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 12 Sep. 2023
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, California Time slows to a primeval pace in this giant sequoia grove, where 275-foot-tall statesmen have watched the seasons come and go for more than 2,000 years.
—Sarah L. Stewart, Travel + Leisure, 19 Oct. 2023
Each explosion was preceded by a primeval gurgle that gave way to bursts of lava.
—David Amsden, Travel + Leisure, 19 Aug. 2023
Blood Meridian and Stella Maris in particular enjoin it with the primeval, timeless forces that precede our own human origins.
—Caine O'Rear, Rolling Stone, 3 July 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'primeval.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
primeve, in same sense, or its source, Late Latin prīmaevus "earliest, original, principal" (going back to Latin, "young, youthful," from prīmus "first, foremost, earliest" + -aevus, adjective derivative of aevum "age, lifetime") + -al entry 1 — more at prime entry 2, aye entry 3
1653, in the meaning defined at sense 1
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Cite this Entry
“Primeval.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/primeval. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
from Latin primaevus "relating to the very earliest ages," from primus "first" and aevum "age" — related to prime
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