primitive
Pronunciation: /ˈprɪmɪtɪv/
adjective
- 1relating to, denoting, or preserving the character of an early stage in the evolutionary or historical development of something: primitive mammals Primitive Germanic
- relating to or denoting a preliterate, non-industrial society or culture characterized by simple social and economic organization: primitive people
- (of behaviour or emotion) apparently originating in unconscious needs or desires and unaffected by objective reasoning: the primitive responses we share with many animals
- of or denoting a simple, naive style of art that deliberately rejects sophisticated artistic techniques: the Fauves saw primitive art as a liberating force
- 2very basic or unsophisticated in terms of comfort, convenience, or efficiency: the accommodation at the camp was a bit primitive
- 3not developed or derived from anything else: primitive material of the universe
- Linguistics denoting a word, base, or root from which another is historically derived.
- Mathematics (of an algebraic or geometric expression) from which another is derived, or which is not itself derived from another.
- 4 Biology (of a part or structure) in the first or early stage of formation or growth; rudimentary. See also primitive streak
noun
- 1a person belonging to a preliterate, non-industrial society: reports of travellers and missionaries described contemporary primitives
- 2a pre-Renaissance painter, or one who imitates the pre-Renaissance style.
- an artist deliberately employing a simple, naive style: the Catalan primitives
- a painting by a primitive artist, or an object in a primitive style: Santa Fe style antiques and Mexican primitives Ohio primitives such as treenware utensils
- 3 Linguistics a word, base, or root from which another is historically derived.
- Mathematics an algebraic or geometric expression from which another is derived; a curve of which another is the polar or reciprocal.
- Computing any of a set of basic geometric shapes which may be generated in computer graphics: the program includes a complete set of drawing primitives
Origin:
late Middle English (in the sense 'original, not derivative'): from Old French primitif, -ive, from Latin primitivus 'first of its kind', from primus 'first'