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: regarded as being outdated or outmoded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
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
Archaeologists excavating the site of a future golf course were surprised to find evidence of a prehistoric village — including a rare chariot wheel dating back millennia.
—
Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 2 May 2025
The famous cave suites built against the sandstone rock formations will take you back to a prehistoric time without missing any modern-day luxuries.
—Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Once upon a planet Further animating our understanding of the creatures that populated prehistoric Earth are trace fossils — or ancient animal tracks frozen in time.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 26 Apr. 2025
Scotland also imposes strict laws and regulations for the handling of archeological sites—the prehistoric ceremonial circle has already been reburied at its original location to preserve its integrity.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prehistoric
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Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 2 May 2025
The famous cave suites built against the sandstone rock formations will take you back to a prehistoric time without missing any modern-day luxuries.
—Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Once upon a planet Further animating our understanding of the creatures that populated prehistoric Earth are trace fossils — or ancient animal tracks frozen in time.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 26 Apr. 2025
Scotland also imposes strict laws and regulations for the handling of archeological sites—the prehistoric ceremonial circle has already been reburied at its original location to preserve its integrity.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prehistoric
Cite this Entry
“Prehistoric.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prehistoric. Accessed 12 May. 2025.
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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