Primitive element

In mathematics, the term primitive element can mean:

• Primitive root modulo n, in number theory
• Primitive element (field theory), an element that generates a given field extension
• Primitive element (finite field), an element that generates the multiplicative group of a finite field
• Primitive element (lattice), an element in a lattice that is not a positive integer multiple of another element in the lattice
• Primitive element (coalgebra), an element X on which the comultiplication Δ has the value Δ(X) = X⊗1 + 1⊗X
• in a free group, an element of a free generating set

See also

• primitive root (disambiguation)