primordial
pri·mor·di·al (pr
-môr
d
-
l)
adj.
1. Being or happening first in sequence of time; original.
2. Primary or fundamental: play a primordial role.
3. Biology Belonging to or characteristic of the earliest stage of development of an organism or a part: primordial cells.
n.
A basic principle.
[Middle English, from Late Latin prm
rdi
lis, from Latin prmrdium, origin : prmus, first; see per1 in Indo-European roots + rdr, to begin to weave; see ar- in Indo-European roots.]
pri·mordi·al·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
| Adj. | 1. | primordial – having existed from the beginning; in an earliest or original stage or state; “aboriginal forests”; “primal eras before the appearance of life on earth”; “the forest primeval”; “primordial matter”; “primordial forms of life”
early – at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time; “early morning”; “an early warning”; “early diagnosis”; “an early death”; “took early retirement”; “an early spring”; “early varieties of peas and tomatoes mature before most standard varieties”
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Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2008 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
