Primitive

/ˈprɪmɪtɪv/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A person belonging to an early stage of civilization.

He enjoyed reading about the lifestyles of primitives from ancient history.

An artist or work of art that reflects a naive or unsophisticated style.

Her paintings are often classified as primitives due to their childlike simplicity.

adjective

Relating to the earliest stages of development; resembling an early stage in the evolutionary development of humans or their ancestors.

The primitive tools discovered in the cave provide insight into the lives of early humans.

Basic, simple, and unsophisticated; lacking in complexity.

The artist's primitive style uses bold colors and simple shapes.

Of or relating to a culture that is not advanced or developed.

The anthropologist studied the customs of a primitive tribe in the Amazon rainforest.

Existing in a basic, unrefined, or undeveloped state.

The primitive conditions in the village surprised the visiting tourists.

Derived from Latin 'primitivus', meaning 'first' or 'original'.

primitive instincts

Innate behaviors that are basic and unlearned.

primitive art

Artwork created by non-industrial cultures, often characterized by simplicity and lack of formal training.

primitive society

A society that has not reached a high level of technological development.

primitiveness

The quality of being primitive or basic.

primitivism

An artistic movement that seeks to emulate the style or simplicity of primitive art.

prehistoric

Relating to the period before written records.

Old-fashioned or out of date in style.

His taste in music is so primitive; he only listens to bands from the '70s.

Basic or simple-minded in behavior.

Don't be so primitive; try to think more critically about the issue.