primeval

UK: /praɪˈmiːv^əl/ US: /praɪˈmivəl/ ,(prī mē′vəl)

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

pri•me•val or pri•mae•val /praɪˈmivəl/   adj. 

1. of or relating to the first or earliest age or ages, esp. of the world;
   primordial:
   primeval forms of life.

See -prim-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pri•me•val  (prī mē′vəl), adj. 

1. of or pertaining to the first age or ages, esp. of the world:
   primeval forms of life.

Also, primaeval. 

• Latin prīmaev(us) young (prīm(us) prime + aev(um) age + -us adjective, adjectival suffix) + -al¹
• 1765–75

pri•me′val•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

primary, primordial, pristine. See prime. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

primeval, primaeval / praɪˈmiːv^əl/ adjective

1. of or belonging to the first age or ages, esp of the world

Etymology: 17th Century: from Latin prīmaevus youthful, from prīmus first + aevum age

priˈmevally, priˈmaevally adverb

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pri•mae•val  (prī mē′vəl), adj. 

1. primeval.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

primaeval / praɪˈmiːv^əl/ adjective

1. a variant spelling of primeval