Early 19th century. Apparently from either Catalan primavera, Spanish primavera, Portuguese primavera, or Italian primavera, all in sense ‘springtime’ (all ultimately from an unattested post-classical Latin *prima vera, variant (probably arising from reinterpretation of the neuter plural as feminine singular) of classical Latin prīmum vēr first or earliest spring from prīmum, neuter of prīmus + vēr) + -al. Compare Old Occitan primavera, feminine, primver, masculine.