prehistoric
adjective
pre·his·tor·ic
ˌprē-(h)i-ˈstȯr-ik 
-ˈstär-
variants
or less commonly prehistorical
ˌprē-(h)i-ˈstȯr-i-kəl
-ˈstär-
1
: of, relating to, or existing in times antedating written history
2
: of or relating to a language in a period of its development from which contemporary records of its sounds and forms have not been preserved
3
: regarded as being outdated or outmoded
prehistoric attitudes
Synonyms
Examples of prehistoric in a Sentence
His attitudes about women are downright prehistoric.
prehistoric notions about mental illness that have no place in today's world
Recent Examples on the Web
With further research—such as analyzing the fossils for elements that could reveal the snakes’ diet—the team hopes to get more information on the prehistoric giant.
—
Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Apr. 2024
With the species dating to prehistoric times, current lake sturgeon can be as long as 6½ feet, weigh nearly 200 pounds and, in some cases, can live more than 100 years.
—Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press, 22 Apr. 2024
Lomax immediately noted the similarities between the bones Ruby and Justin had found and pieces of prehistoric jawbone discovered in 2016 further along the coast by a fossil collector named Paul de la Salle, according to the university.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2024
Solving a prehistoric jigsaw puzzle Over several years, a team from The University of Manchester has discovered and pieced together individual fragments of an ichthyosaur jawbone.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 17 Apr. 2024
The tradition of burying people with objects was common during older, prehistoric eras.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2024
Mounds Meander, 11 a.m. at Mounds State Park: Who built the 10 prehistoric earthworks that gave Mounds State Park its name?
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 11 Apr. 2024
By the 1990s, the notion that prehistoric life was harmonious was criticized as condescending.
—Stefanos Geroulanos, Twin Cities, 10 Apr. 2024
Not Star Wars–, Harry Potter–, or Barbie-themed but the rarest cacti and succulents, cycads with Jurassic bloodlines, towering prehistoric fern trees, dragon trees, bromeliads among Spanish moss, and so much more.
—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 30 Mar. 2024
Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Apr. 2024
With the species dating to prehistoric times, current lake sturgeon can be as long as 6½ feet, weigh nearly 200 pounds and, in some cases, can live more than 100 years.
—Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press, 22 Apr. 2024
Lomax immediately noted the similarities between the bones Ruby and Justin had found and pieces of prehistoric jawbone discovered in 2016 further along the coast by a fossil collector named Paul de la Salle, according to the university.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2024
Solving a prehistoric jigsaw puzzle Over several years, a team from The University of Manchester has discovered and pieced together individual fragments of an ichthyosaur jawbone.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 17 Apr. 2024
The tradition of burying people with objects was common during older, prehistoric eras.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2024
Mounds Meander, 11 a.m. at Mounds State Park: Who built the 10 prehistoric earthworks that gave Mounds State Park its name?
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 11 Apr. 2024
By the 1990s, the notion that prehistoric life was harmonious was criticized as condescending.
—Stefanos Geroulanos, Twin Cities, 10 Apr. 2024
Not Star Wars–, Harry Potter–, or Barbie-themed but the rarest cacti and succulents, cycads with Jurassic bloodlines, towering prehistoric fern trees, dragon trees, bromeliads among Spanish moss, and so much more.
—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 30 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prehistoric.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near prehistoric
Cite this Entry
“Prehistoric.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prehistoric. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prehistoric
adjective
pre·his·tor·ic
ˌprē-(h)is-ˈtȯr-ik
-ˈtär-
: of, relating to, or existing in times before written history
prehistoric animals
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