primordial

adjective

prī-ˈmȯr-dē-əl How to pronounce primordial (audio)
Definition of primordialnext
as in ancient
relating to or occurring near the beginning of a process, series, or time period all life on Earth supposedly came from a primordial ooze in existence many millions of years ago

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of primordial Planting fake dark matter signals There are several candidates for what dark matter could be, including primordial black holes or an undiscovered particle. — Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026 Dark stars are hypothetical primordial stars that, rather than producing energy through nuclear fusion, are instead powered by self-annihilating dark matter within their cores. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 21 Aug. 2026 Their results recently published in the journal Physical Review Letters signal a major breakthrough in quantum physics—one that indicates a primordial quark-gluon plasma soup is actually possible with lighter ingredients. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 20 Aug. 2026 The shapes that Heizer carved out of the earth seem both primordial and futuristic at the same time, evoking his fascination with Mesoamerican architecture. — News Desk, Artforum, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for primordial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primordial
  1. ancient
  2. primitive
  3. primal
  4. primeval
  5. prehistoric
  6. early
Adjective
  • Even the climbing-vine wallpaper is yellowed, as if gradually discolored by the cigarettes of a thousand ancient Sundays.
    — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Madrid sits on an ancient migration route that has always been part of a vast grid of farming paths covering the Iberian Peninsula.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of ancient
Adjective
  • American consumers deserved bargains on digital watches, pocket calculators, and primitive computers.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Working with the era's primitive technology, Margaret thought through the various mishaps that could occur on a spaceflight and designed the software to handle every contingency.
    — Dean Robbins, Space.com, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of primitive
Adjective
  • Wellbeing and community are the buzzwords here, with an impeccable roster of classes and courses from yin yoga and primal movement to cookery, pickling and ceramics.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Prepare for emotion, some skin, swearing, darkness, a primal scream and lightning.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of primal
Adjective
  • The work required felling primeval trees measuring six feet in diameter and digging a deep trench through the marsh to accommodate boat traffic.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Yeti takes place deep in the Alps, where an avalanche has unleashed something primeval from the glacial ice.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 6 Mar. 2026
Definition of primeval
Adjective
  • Other witnesses reported smaller, hairy creatures, a prehistoric-looking bird and a worm allegedly measuring 8 feet long.
    — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
  • But moving beyond prehistoric time to the last century, comparison still had constraints.
    — Ashwini Nadkarni, Time, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of prehistoric
Adjective
  • In August 2023, Bangs offered LaGrone an earlier plea agreement under which he would have been sentenced to 25 years in prison, according to a record in the district clerk’s file.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Staying invested The survey, conducted between late August and early September, included 2,029 American investors with at least $10,000 in investable assets and 538 financial advisers and financial professionals.
    — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of early

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primogenitors
primordial
primp
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Cite this Entry

“Primordial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primordial. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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