Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
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noun
The state or quality of being primitive.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
The opinion that life was better or more moral among primitive peoples, or among children, and has deteriorated with civilization.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Any of a group of related styles in the arts, influenced by a belief in the superiority of primitive forms.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
a genre characteristic of (or imitative of) primitive artists or children
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: genre
noun
a wild or unrefined state
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: crudeness, crudity, primitiveness, rudeness
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: wild, natural state, state of nature
History
Etymology tree English primitive Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Indo-European *-mos Proto-Indo-European *-mós Ancient Greek -μός (-mós) Ancient Greek -ισμός (-ismós)der. English -ism English primitivism From primitive + -ism.
Across languages
8 source translations are retained for this English entry.
