primordial

UK: /praɪˈmɔː^rdiəl/ US: /praɪˈmɔrdiəl/ ,(prī môr′dē əl)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

pri•mor•di•al /praɪˈmɔrdiəl/   adj. [before a noun]

1. existing at the very beginning;
   original:
   primordial forms of life.

See -prim-, -ord-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pri•mor•di•al  (prī môr′dē əl), adj. 

1. constituting a beginning; giving origin to something derived or developed;
   original;
   elementary:
   primordial forms of life.
2. Developmental Biology [Embryol.] first formed.
3. pertaining to or existing at or from the very beginning:
   primordial matter.

• Late Latin prīmōrdiālis of the beginning. See primordium, -al¹
• Middle English 1350–1400

pri•mor•di•al•i•ty  (prī môr′dē al′i tē), n.  pri•mor′di•al•ly, adv. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

primordial / praɪˈmɔːdɪəl/ adjective

1. existing at or from the beginning; earliest; primeval
2. constituting an origin; fundamental
3. of or relating to an early stage of development

Etymology: 14th Century: from Late Latin prīmōrdiālis original, from Latin prīmus first + ōrdīrī to begin

priˈmordially adverb