primordial

adjective

prī-ˈmȯr-dē-əl How to pronounce primordial (audio)
Definition of primordialnext
as in ancient
relating to or occurring near the beginning of a process, series, or time period all life on Earth supposedly came from a primordial ooze in existence many millions of years ago

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of primordial Life on Earth is thought to have emerged from the primordial ooze some four billion years ago. — Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2026 The primordial ooze here remains a blend of pluggnB and West Coast rap experimentalism a la Odd Future, the same sauce that linked 2023’s Balling Out of Spite with last year’s level-up art Pop*Pop Art. — Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 29 July 2026 The area around the park truly embodies the classic, primordial look of a southern swamp with its blackwater mirror reflections and towering cypress and tupelo trees with Spanish moss dangling from them. — Charles Seabrook, AJC.com, 25 July 2026 Meddy is a teen mortal in a family of primordial sea deities. — Janey Wetzel, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for primordial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primordial
  1. ancient
  2. primitive
  3. primal
  4. primeval
  5. prehistoric
  6. early
Adjective
  • Like yoga or dance, the experience is a workout that feels in alignment with the body’s natural movements, at an intensity appropriate to wielding an ancient weapon.
    — Rebecca Leib, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Villa Celimontana dates to the 16th century, when it was developed as a noble residence on Caelian Hill, one of the seven hills of ancient Rome.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of ancient
Adjective
  • The Düsseldorf group’s version of LUCA would have possessed many of the ingredients needed by living systems, including a primitive form of genetic encoding, as well as metabolic chemical reactions required to harness energy.
    — Philip Ball, Scientific American, 20 Aug. 2026
  • If Russia behaved badly, that was the fault of its primitive and cruel Asian side, a notion that conveniently created the fiction that Western countries are not capable of similar cruelty.
    — Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of primitive
Adjective
  • The following tracks only get knottier and denser, but Sweeping Promises never stops setting primal immediacy against granular precision and letting the sparks fly.
    — Reed Jackson, SPIN, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The children grew manic with glee, their lightsabres flailing, their patriotism sublimated into something more primal.
    — Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of primal
Adjective
  • 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, 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
Definition of primeval
Adjective
  • The Museum includes creative work from prehistoric cave paintings to today’s on-screen art.
    — Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • That means a stretch of riverbank can look completely ordinary one season and reveal evidence of prehistoric life after a major weather event or prolonged change in water levels.
    — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of prehistoric
Adjective
  • The book discusses Andrew Carnegie, one of the wealthiest people of the late 19th and early 20th century.
    — John Blake, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Hansen’s sentence was first reduced to 25 years to life, and the state later created a pathway to earlier parole for many youthful offenders serving life sentences.
    — Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of early

Browse Nearby Words

primogenitors
primordial
primp
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Cite this Entry

“Primordial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primordial. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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