primeval

adjective

pri·​me·​val prī-ˈmē-vəl 

1

: of or relating to the earliest ages (as of the world or human history) : ancient, primitive

… 100 acres of primeval forest which has never felt an ax.

—Mary R. Zimmer

2

: primordial sense 1b

primevally

prī-ˈmē-və-lē 

adverb

Did you know?

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."

Synonyms of primeval

• ancient
• primitive
• primal
• prehistoric
• primordial
• early

Examples of primeval in a Sentence

primeval forests slowly disappearing as the climate changed

Recent Examples on the Web

The work required felling primeval trees measuring six feet in diameter and digging a deep trench through the marsh to accommodate boat traffic. —Literary Hub, 10 Apr. 2026

Yeti takes place deep in the Alps, where an avalanche has unleashed something primeval from the glacial ice. —Matt Grobar, Deadline, 6 Mar. 2026

Here, in the middle of the Białowieża National Park—a primeval forest, a tourist destination, a place where Polish villagers foraged mushrooms to fry in butter and salt—was a man on the run from the border guard. —Elizabeth Flock, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026

Astrophysicists now believe that this nebulous stuff is a stellar incubator; the primeval chaos from which star formation is presently underway. —Joe Rao, Space.com, 16 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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 1, aye entry 3

First Known Use

1653, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for primeval

• coeval
• medieval
• retrieval
• upheaval
• evil
• weevil

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Kids Definition

primeval

adjective

pri·​me·​val prī-ˈmē-vəl 

: belonging to the earliest time : primitive

primevally

-və-lē 

adverb

Etymology

from Latin primaevus "relating to the very earliest ages," from primus "first" and aevum "age" — related to prime