How to pronounce primitive
Say it like PRIM-uh-tiv. Primitive has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PRIM).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce primitive. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- PRIM
- uh
- tiv
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Primitive pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- PRIMSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- tivKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of primitive
- Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t.
British respelling: PRIM-ih-tiv.
What does primitive mean?
- belonging to an early stage of technical development; characterized by simplicity and (often) crudeness“the crude weapons and rude agricultural implements of early man”“primitive movies of the 1890s”
- little evolved from or characteristic of an earlier ancestral type“archaic forms of life”“primitive mammals”
- used of preliterate or tribal or nonindustrial societies“primitive societies”
- a person who belongs to an early stage of civilization
- a mathematical expression from which another expression is derived
- a word serving as the basis for inflected or derived forms“`pick' is the primitive from which `picket' is derived”
Where does primitive come from?
From Middle English primitif, from Old French primitif, from Latin prīmitīvus (“first or earliest of its kind”), from prīmus (“first”); see prime.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying primitive
How do you pronounce primitive?
Say PRIM-uh-tiv. The American pronunciation is /ˈprɪmətɪv/. In British English it is /ˈprɪmɪtɪv/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in primitive?
Primitive has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (PRIM). Broken into parts: PRIM · uh · tiv.
Is primitive pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t. The British form is /ˈprɪmɪtɪv/ (PRIM-ih-tiv).