primordium

1. (anatomy) An aggregation of cells that is the first stage in the development of an organ.Examples: "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."Synonyms: anlage, proton

2. (history, theology) A primordial, original condition or event.Examples: "It is thus vain to hope that the history of the primordia can be reduced to the progress of archeological investigation."; "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."; "[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."