prehuman

adjective

pre·hu·man | \ (ˈ)prē-ˈhyü-mən

How to pronounce prehuman (audio)

, -ˈyü-\

Definition of prehuman

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : antedating the appearance of human beings

2 : of, relating to, or being an extinct primate and especially an extinct hominid that resembles or is ancestral to humans

prehuman

noun

Definition of prehuman (Entry 2 of 2)

: an extinct primate and especially an extinct hominid that resembles or is ancestral to humans

Examples of prehuman in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The shadows of many prehuman civilizations could, in principle, lurk hidden in such subtleties. — Steven Ashley, Scientific American, "Could an Industrial Prehuman Civilization Have Existed on Earth Before Ours?," 23 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'prehuman.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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The first known use of prehuman was in 1844

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