primordial

adjective

pri·​mor·​di·​al prī-ˈmȯr-dē-əl 

1

a

: first created or developed : primeval sense 1

b

: existing in or persisting from the beginning (as of a solar system or universe)

a primordial gas cloud

c

: earliest formed in the growth of an individual or organ : primitive

primordial cells

2

: fundamental, primary

primordial human joys

—Sir Winston Churchill

primordially

prī-ˈmȯr-dē-ə-lē 

adverb

Did you know?

The history of "primordial" began when the Latin words primus (meaning "first") and "ordiri" (meaning "to begin") came together to form "primordium," the Latin word for "origin." When it entered English in the 14th century, "primordial" was used in the general sense "primeval." Early on, there were hints that "primordial" would lend itself well to discussions of the earth's origins. Take, for instance, this passage from a 1398 translation of an encyclopedia called On the Properties of Things: "The virtu of God made primordial mater, in the whiche as it were in massy thinge the foure elementis were . . . nought distinguishd." Nowadays, primordial matter is often referred to in evolutionary theory as "primordial soup," a mixture of organic molecules from which life on earth originated.

Synonyms

• ancient
• early
• primal
• primeval
• primitive

Examples of primordial in a Sentence

all life on Earth supposedly came from a primordial ooze in existence many millions of years ago

Recent Examples on the Web

After a 30-minute tug of war, finally seeing the bony plates of the prehistoric fish emerge from the murky depths of the Snake feels like uncovering the last surviving creature to slither out of the primordial ooze shortly after the Earth cooled. —Chris Dorsey, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025

Visitors to the La Brea Tar Pits are aware of the species’ role in the ecosystem of primordial Southern California, thanks to a wall at the museum displaying hundreds of dire wolf skulls extracted from the ooze. —Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025

That’s because the five-to-ten-million-year window in time when this gas had such a primordial composition was so short. —Bruce Dorminey, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025

By analyzing those subtle orbital tilts, the researchers were able to reverse-engineer Jupiter's primordial size and magnetic strength, according to the new study. —Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 21 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Late Latin prīmōrdiālis, from Latin prīmōrdium (in plural prīmōrdia) "beginnings, origin, source, elementary stage" (from prīmus "first, earliest" + ōrd-, base of ōrdīrī "to lay a warp for weaving, embark on, begin" + -ium, deverbal suffix of function or state) + -ālis -al entry 1 — more at prime entry 1, order entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing primordial

• primordial soup

Rhymes for primordial

• precordial

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Kids Definition

primordial

adjective

pri·​mor·​di·​al prī-ˈmȯrd-ē-əl 

: first created or developed : primeval

primordially

-ē-ə-lē 

adverb

Medical Definition

primordial

adjective

pri·​mor·​di·​al prī-ˈmȯrd-ē-əl 

: earliest formed in the growth of an individual or organ : primitive

the primordial skeleton