# primitive

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈpɹɪmɪtɪv/ · frequency rank #9,651

## Definitions
1. An original or primary word; a word not derived from another, as opposed to derivative.
2. A member of a primitive society.
3. Primitive or primeval nature; the innate, instinctive element within a person; the deep, instinctive, precultural layer of human nature.
4. Natural or premodern environment or conditions; life lacking modern technology and society.
5. A simple-minded person.
6. A data type that is built into the programming language, as opposed to more complex structures.
7. Any of the simplest elements (instructions, statements, etc.) available in a programming language.
8. A basic geometric shape from which more complex shapes can be constructed.
9. A function whose derivative is a given function; an antiderivative.

## Etymology
From Middle English primitif, from Old French primitif, from Latin prīmitīvus (“first or earliest of its kind”), from prīmus (“first”); see prime. Doublet of primitivo.

## Easily confused with
- **primetime** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/primetime-vs-primitive)

## Common misspellings (13)
`pirmitive`, `pprimitive`, `priimtive`, `primiitve`, `primitiev`, `primitivve`, `primittive`, `primitvie`, `primmitive`, `primtiive`, `prmiitive`, `prrimitive`, `rpimitive`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/primitive