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 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 Argentina fans, meanwhile, are unique in all sports—other countries have fan bases that get loud, but a stadium full of Argentineans activates something primordial. — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 16 July 2026 This is, Meghan O’Gieblyn argues in our June 25, 2026, issue, a distinctly parental anxiety, a primordial kind of maternal metaphor that appears over and over again in writing and interviews about AI development. — Meghan O’Gieblyn, The New York Review of Books, 11 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
  • In a sport written about in ancient Greek literature, no one has thrown a discus as far as Mykolas Alekna.
    — Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The story follows ancient creatures appearing in the modern world, prompting heroes from different countries to confront a rising darkness threatening the region.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of ancient
Adjective
  • Some researchers have argued that LUCA was a complex cell with a primitive immune system to protect against viruses.
    — Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Porous feet deliver The researchers designed and 3D-printed three hemispherical TPMS variants—primitive, gyroid and diamond—and evaluated their mechanical properties through compression testing.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of primitive
Adjective
  • Either way, the spread of kudzu, Burmese pythons, Joro spiders, mosquitoes, killer bees, and Asiatic false hawk’s-beards, to name just a few, has tugged on some primal taproot in us.
    — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
  • In many corners of the internet, tallow isn’t marketed simply as a moisturizer but as a return to something more primal and distinctly masculine.
    — Jenna Belhumeur, Los Angeles Times, 27 July 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
  • Scientists have recovered ancient human DNA directly from cave walls in Spain and Portugal, opening a new way to study the people behind prehistoric rock art.
    — George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali and Jonathan Bailey led the prehistoric revival, which revolved around a top-secret quest to retrieve the DNA of dinosaurs to create a miracle drug.
    — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of prehistoric
Adjective
  • The restaurant is named for American artist John Singer Sargent, a painter who specialized in portraits and landscapes during the late 1800s and early 1900s.
    — Olivia Wakim, AJC.com, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, one of Disney’s earliest characters who predated Mickey Mouse, is back for the 21st century.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 15 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 18 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of primordial for Spanish Speakers

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