pre-Columbian
adjective
pre-Co·lum·bi·an
ˌprē-kə-ˈləm-bē-ən 
: preceding or belonging to the time before the arrival of Columbus in America
Examples of pre-Columbian in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The museum’s incredible holdings—Rembrandts, Impressionist treasures, thousands of pre-Columbian wonders—will be on view again after years in storage or on loan.
—
Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 6 Mar. 2026
There’s a pre-Columbian puppet-like figurine on display.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 24 Feb. 2026
Drawing from pre-Columbian sound artifacts, Alarcón Tennen reimagines sculpture as exchange rather than form, collapsing distinctions between viewer and performer, touch and sound.
—Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 17 Feb. 2026
Inspired by both pre-Columbian cultures and modern scientific theories, Jensen made energetic diagrams of shapes, symbols, and numbers in loud complementary colors, using thick globs of paint; the results generate a fascinating friction.
—Brian Seibert, New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2026
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Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 6 Mar. 2026
There’s a pre-Columbian puppet-like figurine on display.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 24 Feb. 2026
Drawing from pre-Columbian sound artifacts, Alarcón Tennen reimagines sculpture as exchange rather than form, collapsing distinctions between viewer and performer, touch and sound.
—Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 17 Feb. 2026
Inspired by both pre-Columbian cultures and modern scientific theories, Jensen made energetic diagrams of shapes, symbols, and numbers in loud complementary colors, using thick globs of paint; the results generate a fascinating friction.
—Brian Seibert, New Yorker, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pre-Columbian
Cite this Entry
“Pre-Columbian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pre-Columbian. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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