primeval

CEFRC1

/pɹaɪ̯ˈmiː.vəl/

adjective

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Very ancient; from the earliest time.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Extra detail

    Primary; original.

Examples

  • Several primeval vases stand in this room.

  • You went back to the camp leaving me alone in the primeval forest.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
3
Parts of speech
1
Citations
4

Also pronounced

  • /-vʌl/
  • /pɹɑe̯ˈmiː.vəl/

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meaning

  1. Belonging to the first ages.

More examples

In context

  • a primeval galaxy

  • But if life has a happiness over which the primeval curse has passed and harmed not, it is the early and long enduring affection of blood and habit.

  • If their views were entrancing their sanitation was primeval; if they possessed stables they were also next to the gas-works; if their gardens were delightful there were odours suspicious of mice in the bedrooms.

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The blank forest remained untouched by modern civilization for centuries.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

From Latin primaevus (“in the first or earliest period of life”) + -al, from primus (“first”) + aevum (“time, age”); see prime and age.