primal

adjective

pri·​mal ˈprī-məl 

1

: original, primitive

village life continued in its primal innocence

—Van Wyck Brooks

2

: first in importance : primary

Synonyms

• arch
• big
• capital
• cardinal
• central
• chief
• dominant
• first
• foremost
• grand
• great
• greatest
• highest
• key
• leading
• main
• master
• number one
• No. 1
• numero uno
• overbearing
• overmastering
• overriding
• paramount
• predominant
• preeminent
• premier
• primary
• principal
• prior
• sovereign
• sovran
• supreme

Examples of primal in a Sentence

the primal theme of the essay is toleration of religious diversity

there was a period of primal idealism after the founding of the republic and before the rise of partisan politics

Recent Examples on the Web

Though debunked, the theory had wide influence, notably on Sigmund Freud, who suggested that everyone carries a primal inheritance in the form of the Oedipus complex, which haunts the unconscious with guilt and repression. —Maya Jasanoff, The New Yorker, 6 May 2024

Millions of people have gone through this primal rite of passage since the beginning of time. —Mercedes Bleth, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

probably from prime entry 2 + -al entry 1

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing primal

• primal scream therapy

Kids Definition

primal

adjective

pri·​mal ˈprī-məl 

1

: of or relating to the first period or state : primitive

2

: first in importance : basic