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: regarded as being outdated or outmoded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

prehistorically

ˌprē-(h)i-ˈstȯr-i-k(ə-)lē 

-ˈstär-

adverb

Synonyms

• medieval
• archaic
• obsolete
• neolithic

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

While Canada plays host to fascinating megafauna spanning from the polar bear to the gray wolf to the muskox, there’s one park in particular that offers a deep dive into the nation’s prehistoric past. —Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025

According to Hamilton’s study, freely roaming bison in Yellowstone National Park—the only place in the lower 48 where bison have continuously free-ranged since prehistoric times—play a pivotal role in the ecosystem. —Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 29 Aug. 2025

Royal residences like Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace draw millions of visitors each year, while ancient sites like Stonehenge are a favorite for those seeking a connection to our prehistoric past. —Lottie Gross, AFAR Media, 29 Aug. 2025

These observations are relevant beyond academic or prehistoric settings. —Elissa Strauss, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1832, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for prehistoric

• anaphoric
• metaphoric
• meteoric
• paregoric
• pyrophoric
• boric
• chloric
• doric
• toric
• caloric
• dysphoric
• euphoric

Kids 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

prehistorically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb