title: What is the difference between a primitive type and an atomic type?
body: <p>Many programming language specifications talk about the language's primitive types and their atomic types. In some, these are mentioned separately, and some mix the definitions together. After reading some material I have come to realize that there is a difference between the two terms, however it seems to be either very subtle or too obscure.</p>
  
  <p>What exactly is the difference between an <strong>atomic type</strong> and a <strong>primitive type</strong>? Is one contained within the other?</p>