Primitive

Primitive may refer to:

Mathematics

 * Primitive element (field theory)
 * Primitive element (finite field)
 * Primitive cell (crystallography)
 * Primitive notion, axiomatic systems
 * Primitive polynomial (disambiguation), one of two concepts
 * Primitive function or antiderivative,  = f
 * Primitive permutation group
 * Primitive root of unity; See Root of unity
 * Primitive triangle, an integer triangle whose sides have no common prime factor

Sciences

 * Primitive (phylogenetics), characteristic of an early stage of development or evolution
 * Primitive equations, a set of nonlinear differential equations that are used to approximate atmospheric flow
 * Primitive change, a general term encompassing a number of basic molecular alterations in the course of a chemical reaction

Computing

 * Cryptographic primitives, low-level cryptographic algorithms frequently used to build computer security systems
 * Geometric primitive, the simplest kinds of figures in computer graphics
 * Language primitive, the simplest element provided by a programming language
 * Primitive data type, a datatype provided by a programming language

Art and entertainment

 * Naïve art, created by untrained artists
 * Neo-primitivism, an early 20th-century Russian art movement that looks to early human history, folk art and non-Western or children's art for inspiration
 * Primitivism, an early 20th-century art movement that looks to early human history, folk art and non-Western or children's art for inspiration
 * Primitive decorating, a style of decorating using primitive folk art style that is characteristic of a historic or early Americana time period
 * Primitive, a novel by J. F. Gonzalez

Music

 * The Primitives, a British indie rock band
 * Primitive Radio Gods, an American alternative rock band

Albums

 * Primitive (Neil Diamond album), by Neil Diamond 1984
 * Primitive (Soulfly album), by Soulfly 2000

Songs

 * "Primitive", by Accept from the 1996 album Predator
 * "Primitive", by The Groupies and covered by The Cramps
 * "Primitive", by Killing Joke from the 1980 album Killing Joke
 * "Primitive", by Cyndi Lauper from A Night to Remember
 * "Primitive", by Annie Lennox from the 1992 album Diva
 * "Primitive", by Róisín Murphy from the 2007 album Overpowered

Religion

 * Primitive Church, another name for early Christianity
 * Restorationism, also described as Christian primitivism, is the belief that Christianity should be restored along the lines of what is known about the apostolic early church
 * Primitive Baptist, a religious movement seeking to retain or restore early Christian practices
 * Primitive Methodism

Other uses

 * Primitive (philately)
 * Anarcho-primitivism, an anarchist critique of the origins and progress of civilization
 * Noble savage, a particular stock character in literature, i.e., a person uncorrupted by the influences of civilization
 * Pre-industrial society
 * Primitive communism, a pre-agrarian form of communism according to Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels
 * Primitive Culture, an 1871 book by Edward Burnett Tylor.
 * Primitive Skateboarding, a company located in Los Angeles