being the first or earliest of the kind or in existence, esp. in an early age of the world

primitive forms of life.

early in the history of the world or of humankind.

characteristic of early ages or of an early state of human development

primitive toolmaking.

Anthropology . of or pertaining to a preliterate or tribal people having cultural or physical similarities with their early ancestors

no longer in technical use.

unaffected or little affected by civilizing influences; uncivilized; savage

primitive passions.

being in its earliest period; early

the primitive phase of the history of a town.

old-fashioned

primitive ideas and habits.

simple; unsophisticated

a primitive farm implement.

crude; unrefined

primitive living conditions.

Linguistics .

of or pertaining to a form from which a word or other linguistic form is derived; not derivative; original or radical.

of or pertaining to a protolanguage.

of or pertaining to a linguistic prime.

primary, as distinguished from secondary.

Biology .

rudimentary; primordial.

noting species, varieties, etc., only slightly evolved from early antecedent types.

of early formation and temporary, as a part that subsequently disappears.

someone or something primitive.

Fine Arts .

an artist of a preliterate culture.

a naive or unschooled artist.

an artist belonging to the early stage in the development of a style.

a work of art by a primitive artist.

Mathematics .

a geometric or algebraic form or expression from which another is derived.

a function of which the derivative is a given function.

Linguistics . the form from which a given word or other linguistic form has been derived, by either morphological or historical processes, as take in undertake.