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Primal vs Primitive - What's the difference?

primal | primitive |

As adjectives the difference between primal and primitive

is that primal is being the first in time, or history while primitive is of or pertaining to the beginning or origin, or to early times; original; primordial; primeval; first.

As a noun primitive is

an original or primary word; a word not derived from another, as opposed to {{term|derivative}}.

primal

English

Adjective

(-)
  • Being the first in time, or history.
    • primal man
  • Being of greatest importance; primary.
  • (meat trade) Being one of the pieces of meat initially separated from the carcass during butchering, prior to division into smaller cuts.

    • Synonyms

    * (first in time or history ): aboriginal, primaeval/primeval, primordial * (being of greatest importance ): primary

    Derived terms

    * primal therapist * primal therapy * primality * primally

    primitive

    English

    (wikipedia primitive)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An original or primary word; a word not derived from another, as opposed to (derivative).
  • A member of a primitive society.
  • A simple-minded person.
  • (computing, programming) A data type that is built into the programming language, as opposed to more complex structures.
  • A basic geometric shape from which more complex shapes can be constructed.
  • (mathematics) A function whose derivative is a given function; an antiderivative.

    • Related terms

    * multiprimitive * prime

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Of or pertaining to the beginning or origin, or to early times; original; primordial; primeval; first.
  • Of or pertaining to or harking back to a former time; old-fashioned; characterized by simplicity.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Ben Travers), title=(A Cuckoo in the Nest)
    • , chapter=4 citation , passage=By some paradoxical evolution rancour and intolerance have been established in the vanguard of primitive Christianity. Mrs. Spoker, in common with many of the stricter disciples of righteousness, was as inclement in demeanour as she was cadaverous in aspect.}}
  • (rfc-sense) Crude, obsolete.
  • (grammar) Original; primary; radical; not derived.
  • (biology) Occurring in or characteristic of an early stage of development or evolution.

    • Derived terms

    * primitiveness

    Synonyms

    * backwards