primordial

== English == === Etymology === From the Latin prīmōrdiālis (“of the beginning”). Compare primordium and -al. === Pronunciation === (UK) IPA(key): /pɹaɪˈmɔː.di.əl/ (General American) IPA(key): /pɹaɪˈmɔɹ.di.əl/ (General Australian) IPA(key): /pɹɑɪˈmoː.di.əl/ === Adjective === primordial (not comparable) First, earliest or original. (biology) Characteristic of the earliest stage of the development of an organism, or relating to a primordium. Primeval. Of an element or isotope: occurring primordially (on Earth) (i.e. inherited from when the Earth was formed); because it is stable, or radioactive but so long-lived that some is left over from when the Earth was formed. For example, primordial radioisotopes (T = half-life in years) include uranium-235 (T = 7×108), potassium-40 (T = 1.25×109), uranium-238 (T = 4.5×109), and thorium-232 (T = 1.4×1010). ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Noun === primordial (plural primordials) A first principle or element. A primordial condition or state. ==== Translations ==== == French == === Etymology === Learned borrowing from Latin prīmōrdiālis (“of the beginning”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /pʁi.mɔʁ.djal/ === Adjective === primordial (feminine primordiale, masculine plural primordiaux, feminine plural primordiales) primordial, primitive, original Synonyms: originel, primitif soupe primordiale ― primordial soup vital, essential, paramount, of paramount importance Synonyms: capital, essentiel ==== Derived terms ==== primordialement === Further reading === “primordial”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012 == German == === Pronunciation === === Adjective === primordial (strong nominative masculine singular primordialer, not comparable) primordial ==== Declension ==== === Further reading === “primordial” in Duden online “primordial”, in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache‎[1] (in German) == Indonesian == === Etymology === Borrowed from Dutch primordiaal (“primordial”). === Pronunciation === (Standard Indonesian) IPA(key): /primorˈdial/ [pri.morˈdi.al] Rhymes: -al Syllabification: pri‧mor‧di‧al === Adjective === primordial (comparative lebih primordial, superlative paling primordial) primordial === Further reading === “primordial”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016 == Portuguese == === Etymology === From Latin prīmōrdiālis (“of the beginning”). === Pronunciation === Rhymes: -al, -aw Hyphenation: pri‧mor‧di‧al === Adjective === primordial m or f (plural primordiais) primordial (first, earliest or original) Synonym: primeiro primary, main, paramount Synonyms: capital, essencial, importante ==== Derived terms ==== primordialmente ==== Related terms ==== primórdio === Further reading === “primordial”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026 “primordial”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026 == Romanian == === Etymology === Borrowed from French primordial. By surface analysis, primordiu +‎ -al. === Adjective === primordial m or n (feminine singular primordială, masculine plural primordiali, feminine/neuter plural primordiale) primeval ==== Declension ==== ==== Related terms ==== primordialitate == Spanish == === Etymology === From Latin prīmōrdiālis (“of the beginning”). Cognate with English primordial. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /pɾimoɾˈdjal/ [pɾi.moɾˈð̞jal] Rhymes: -al Syllabification: pri‧mor‧dial === Adjective === primordial m or f (masculine and feminine plural primordiales) primordial primary, paramount ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== === Further reading === “primordial”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025