primitiveadjective
uk/ˈprɪm.ɪ.tɪv/us/ˈprɪm.ə.t̬ɪv/C1 relating to human society at a very early stage of development, with people living in a simple way without machines or a writing system:
Primitive races colonized these islands 2,000 years ago.
primitive man
The spiny anteater is a mammal, although a very primitive one.
C1 disapproving Primitive living conditions are basic, unpleasant, and uncomfortable:
Early settlers had to cope with very primitive living conditions.
More examples
- These primitive peoples are believed to have worshipped the phallus as a symbol of regeneration.
- Twelve thousand years ago, our ancestors were primitive savages living in caves.
- These creatures are generally taken to be descended from primitive fishes.
- a primitive stone axe
- The conditions at the campsite were rather primitive.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Prehistory
- Australopithecus
- broch
- brontosaurus
- carboniferous
- caveman
- mesolithic
- neolithic
- Ordovician
- Palaeogene
- palaeolithic
- prehistoric
- prehistory
- primaeval
- primal
- primeval
- stegosaurus
- stone-age
- the Anthropocene
- troglodyte
- tyrannosaurus
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Comfortable and uncomfortable