A beef cut is the name given to a section of beef cut from the carcass of cattle during butchering. There are many different cuts, which depend on the muscle from which the meat is cut, as well as national and cuisine-based practices for how the cuts are made.
A primal cut describes one of the very largest cuts, which are how beef is typically delivered to a butcher. The primals are then cut into smaller market cuts for sale to consumers.