Where does “primordial” come from?
Primordial comes from Latin primordialis, formed from Latin primus meaning first and the suffix -alis, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European per- meaning forward or through.
primordial (English): first, earliest or original; characteristic of...
Definitions
- first, earliest or original; characteristic of...
Ancestry of “primordial”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | primordialis | original, primordial |
| 2 | Latin | primordium | beginning; origin; commencement |
| 3 | Latin | prīmus | — |
| 4 | Latin | prīsmos | — |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | priisemos | foremost, first |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |