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: regarded as being outdated or outmoded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 of prehistoric

• archaic
• obsolete
• medieval
• antiquated
• 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

Producers Gerald Isenberg and Stan Rogow, having optioned the book — a prehistoric adventure about a Cro-Magnon girl adopted by a family of Neanderthals — tried to interest NBC in a movie-of-the-week to no avail. —Gregg Kilday, HollywoodReporter, 15 Nov. 2025

Home to the Pagoeta Natural Park, the town has prehistoric ruins, rural farmhouses, a botanical garden, woodlands, and more to explore. —Michelle Arellano Martin, Travel + Leisure, 9 Nov. 2025

Large muskies, prehistoric-looking fish with canine-style teeth, lurk there. —Jamie Thompson, The Atlantic, 6 Nov. 2025

In Scotland, archaeologists found evidence of a prehistoric village at a future golf course earlier this year. —Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 30 Oct. 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