primitivo

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian primitivo. Doublet of primitive.

Noun

primitivo (uncountable)

1. A grape variety from Puglia, genetically identical to zinfandel; the red wine made from this grape.

Galician

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Italic *prīzmos

Latin prīmus

Latin itus

Latin prīmitus

Proto-Indo-European *-wós

Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder.

Latin īvus

Latin prīmitīvusder.

Galician primitivo

Derived from Latin prīmitīvus.

Adjective

primitivo (feminine primitiva, masculine plural primitivos, feminine plural primitivas)

1. primitive

Derived terms

• primitivamente
• primitivismo

Further reading

• “primitivo”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2026

Italian

Etymology

From Latin prīmitīvus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pri.miˈti.vo/
• Rhymes: -ivo
• Hyphenation: pri‧mi‧tì‧vo

Adjective

primitivo (feminine primitiva, masculine plural primitivi, feminine plural primitive)

1. primitive
2. original (significance)

Derived terms

• primitivamente
• primitivismo
• primitività

Noun

primitivo m (plural primitivi)

1. primitive man
2. a grape variety from Puglia, genetically identical to zinfandel; the red wine made from this grape

Descendants

• → English: primitivo

Further reading

• “primitivo¹”, in Vocabolario Treccani on line (in Italian), Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana, 2026
• “primitivo²”, in Vocabolario Treccani on line (in Italian), Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana, 2026

Latin

Adjective

prīmitīvō

1. dative/ablative masculine/neuter singular of prīmitīvus

Portuguese

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Italic *prīzmos

Latin prīmus

Latin itus

Latin prīmitus

Proto-Indo-European *-wós

Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder.

Latin īvus

Latin prīmitīvusder.

Portuguese primitivo

Derived from Latin prīmitīvus.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /pɾi.miˈt͡ʃi.vu/

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /pɾi.miˈti.vu/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /pɾi.miˈti.vu/
  • (Northern Portugal) IPA^(key): /pɾi.miˈti.bu/ [pɾi.miˈti.βu]

• Hyphenation: pri‧mi‧ti‧vo

Adjective

primitivo (feminine primitiva, masculine plural primitivos, feminine plural primitivas)

1. primitive (pertaining to or harking back to a former time)
2. primitive (characterised by simplicity or crudeness)

Derived terms

• primitivamente
• primitivismo

Noun

primitivo m (plural primitivos)

1. primitive (member of a primitive society)

Further reading

• “primitivo”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “primitivo”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Spanish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Italic *prīzmos

Latin prīmus

Latin itus

Latin prīmitus

Proto-Indo-European *-wós

Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder.

Latin īvus

Latin prīmitīvusder.

Spanish primitivo

Derived from Latin prīmitīvus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pɾimiˈtibo/ [pɾi.miˈt̪i.β̞o]
• Rhymes: -ibo
• Syllabification: pri‧mi‧ti‧vo

Adjective

primitivo (feminine primitiva, masculine plural primitivos, feminine plural primitivas)

1. primitive
2. original, initial, basic

Derived terms

• primitivamente
• primitividad
• primitivismo
• primitivista

Descendants

• → Tagalog: primitibo

Further reading

• “primitivo”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025