primordium

English

Borrowed from Latin prīmordium.

primordium (plural primordia)

(anatomy) An aggregation of cells that is the first stage in the development of an organ.
Synonyms: anlage, (obsolete) proton
- 2017, Taylor A. Steeves, Vipen K. Sawhney, Essentials of Developmental Plant Anatomy, Oxford University Press, page 29,
  In tomato, for example, the first sepal primordium is formed as an outgrowth at the periphery of the apex and the subsequent sepal primordia are initiated in a helical fashion at an angle of approximately 137° from the previous one.
(history, theology) A primordial, original condition or event.
- 1997 [1991], Alexandre Grandazzi, translated by Jane Marie Todd, The Foundation of Rome: Myth and History, →ISBN, page 33:
  It is thus vain to hope that the history of the primordia can be reduced to the progress of archeological investigation.
- 2003, David Chidester, Salvation and Suicide: Jim Jones, the Peoples Temple, and Jonestown, 2nd edition, →ISBN, page 106:
  Attempts have been made by historians of religion to distinguish between mythic orientations in time concerned with the repetition of a primordium and those concerned with the anticipation of an eschaton.
- 2008, Richard L. Bushman, Mormonism: A Very Short Introduction, →ISBN, page 5:
  [Joseph Smith] did not think of himself as going back to a primordium of true Christianity, as the Puritans did. In his view, there never was a golden age when religion flourished to perfection.

first stage of development of an organ

From prīmus + root of ōrdior + -ium.

prīmōrdium n (genitive prīmōrdiī or prīmōrdī); second declension

¹Found in older Latin (until the Augustan Age).