adjective
primal
PRY-mul/ˈpraɪml/
Existing at the earliest or most basic level of nature or instinct.
The shelter's small fire meets the primal need for warmth.
Etymology
The idea of being “first” gives primal its reference to the earliest stage. Its psychological use connects behavior with the earliest stages of emotional development.
In context
calling to a primal instinct to Journey Beyond one's home and explore the unknown
More examples
- Hunger creates a primal urge to find food.
- Volcanic eruptions reveal the primal forces that shape the earth.
- The need to protect her child feels primal.
Forms
primal
Similar words
- primordial
- Emphasizes the earliest stages of existence, especially before recorded history.
- instinctive
- Describes automatic responses rather than conscious thought or learned behavior.
- fundamental
- Means essential to a system, not necessarily natural or instinctive.