Meanings
nounprimitivism (countable and uncountable, plural primitivisms)
plural primitivisms
- countableuncountableThe state or quality of being primitive.
- countableuncountableThe opinion that life was better or more moral among primitive peoples, or among children, and has deteriorated with civilization.
- countableuncountableAny of a group of related styles in the arts, influenced by a belief in the superiority of primitive forms.
Exuberant in its primitivism, High Kicks has a joyous, slightly naive spark that sometimes evokes the sort of tuneful messes to which Calvin Johnson's name is often attached.
2009 January 18, Ben Rayner, “Ben Rayner's reasons to live”, in Toronto Star
Synonyms & antonyms
nouna wild or unrefined state
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Translations
French primitivité, primitivisme
- primitivitéstate of being primitive
- primitivismeartistic movement
Polish prymitywizm
- prymitywizmartistic movement
Romanian primitivism, primitivitate
- primitivismstate of being primitive
- primitivitatestate of being primitive
- primitivismartistic movement
Cite this entry
APA
primitivism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/primitivism
MLA
“primitivism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/primitivism. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “primitivism,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/primitivism.
Source: primitivism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.