primeval

Word family

Related topics: Earth sciences

pri·me·val (also primaeval British English) /praɪˈmiːvəl/ adjectiveadj

1 HEbelonging to the earliest time in the existence of the universe or the Earth 太古的，太初的

Primeval clouds of gas formed themselves into stars.

原生气团形成了恒星。

2 OLD/NOT NEWvery ancient 原始的，远古的

primeval forests

原始森林

3 BASICprimeval feelings are very strong and seem to come from a part of people’s character that is ancient and animal-like 〔情感〕原始的，本能的

the primeval urge to reproduce

繁殖的本能欲望

Examples from the Corpus

primeval• First, amidst the primeval chaos, there existed only two mute creatures, rolled together and ignorant of sight or sound.• The water has a primeval chemistry that has prevailed along submarine mountain ranges since the breakup of Gondwanaland.• The sun and planets formed from a primeval cloud of gas about 5 billion years ago.• The waters of baptism represent the presence and power of that primeval deep for us.• Starkly primeval, it resembles the head of a giant gorilla!• Beyond the river had been a forest, one of the great primeval oak forests of ancient Ireland.• But flips millions of years ago are recorded in the orientation of metallic particles in primeval rocks.• By the fire in the centre of this primeval setting stood an elderly man and a dozen boys.• The primeval soup has turned into minestrone.• primeval tropical rainforests

Origin primeval

(1600-1700) Latin primaevus, from primus ( → PRIME1) + aevum “age”

Chinese

Syllable

Corpus