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primitivist

primitivist

1 8.7
A person who wants or lives a simpler life and likes simple early art
  • noun
  • /ˈprɪmɪtɪvɪst/
translation icon : primitivista
  • The exhibition featured several works by primitivists who sought to reject modern complexities.
  • European primitivist

Examples

  • As a historian and writer, Wendt analyzes the primitivist "yearnings" in Mead's text.

    Academic text (1993)
  • Many artists today identify as primitivists, believing in the value of a simpler lifestyle and art style.

  • Also, not all green anarchists and primitivists are young.

    Blog text (34)
  • The primitivist revolution begun by Picasso with African art was spreading to America.

    Academic text (2006)
  • Nearly all anarcho-primitivists, I would say, are true believers.

    Blog text (34)
  • Anarcho-primitivists assert that, before recorded history, human society was organized on anarchist principles.

    Blog text (24)
  • The scholars were not just leftists; they were primitivists by temperament, like Rousseau.

    Blog text (10)
  • As a primitivist, she advocated for a lifestyle that embraced nature and basic living over urban conveniences.

Synonyms

traditionalist
vsprimitivist
20 5.6

A person who holds strongly to old customs and resists change

favours an active move back to simpler, more basic life or art
neotraditionalist
vsprimitivist
8.5

A person who wants to bring back old ways in a modern setting

prefers a plain, basic return to older life or art instead of adaptation
antimodern
vsprimitivist
8.2

A person who opposes modern ideas and prefers traditional ways

focuses on returning to simpler, more basic life or art rather than mere preference
antimodernist
vsprimitivist
8.8

A person who does not support modern ideas, values, or styles

promotes a return to simpler, basic living or art rather than only rejection

Antonyms

15 5.5

Relating to new art or design that breaks old styles

5 7.7

A person who knows a lot about fashion, art, and good manners

How Committed

activist
6 3.7
primitivist
1 8.7
advocate
282 4.1
sympathizer
37 4.8

Surface Forms

primitivist singular
primitivists plural

Morphology

primitivist = primitivism (transparent) = primitive + ist

The noun denotes a person who practices or supports 'primitivism', formed by adding '-ist' to the movement noun.

Etymology

Primitivist is made from primitive ('first' or 'early') plus the ending -ist meaning 'a person who', and it shares its root with prime and primary. So a primitivist is someone who supports living simply or who follows early, basic styles in art.