nferior animals and
plants as well. _Autochthonic_ (Gr. _autos_, self, and _chth[=o]n_,
earth) signifies sprung from the earth, especially from the soil of
one's native land. _Primeval_ (L. _primum_, first, and _aevum_, age),
signifies strictly belonging to the first ages, earliest in time, but
often only the earliest of which man knows or conceives, _immemorial_.
_Aboriginal_, _autochthonic_, and _primeval_ combine the meanings of
_ancient_ and _original_; _aboriginal_ inhabitants, _autochthonic_
races, _primeval_ forests. _Prime_ and _primary_ may signify either
first in time, or more frequently first in importance; _primary_ has
also the sense of elementary or preparatory; we speak of a _prime_
minister, a _primary_ school. _Primal_ is chiefly poetic, in the sense
of _prime_; as, the _primal_ curse. _Primordial_ is first in an order of
succession or development; as, a _primordial_ leaf. _Primitive_
frequently signifies having the original characteristics of that which
it represents, as well as standing first in time; as, the _primitive_
church. _Primitive_ also very frequently signifies having the original
or early characteristics without remoteness in time. _Primeval_
simplicity is the simplicity of the earliest ages; _primitive_
simplicity may be found in retired villages now. _Pristine_ is an
elegant word, used almost exclusively in a good sense of that which is
_original_ and perhaps _ancient_; as, _pristine_ purity, innocence,
vigor. That which is both an _original_ and natural product of a soil or
country is said to be _indigenous_; that which is actually produced
there is said to be _native_, though it may be of foreign extraction;
humming-birds are _indigenous_ to America; canaries may be _native_, but
are not _indigenous_. _Immemorial_ refers solely to time, independently
of quality, denoting, in legal phrase, "that whereof the memory of man
runneth not to the contrary;" as, an _immemorial_ custom; an
_immemorial_ abuse. Compare OLD.

Antonyms:

adventitious, foreign, late, new, recent.
exotic, fresh, modern, novel,

Compare synonyms for NEW.

* * * * *

PROFIT.

Synonyms:

advantage, expediency, proceeds, service,
avail, gain, receipts, usefulness,
benefit, good, return, utility,
emolument, improvement, returns, value.

The _returns_ or _receipts_ include all that is received from an outlay
or invest