preindustrial

adjective

pre·​in·​dus·​tri·​al ˌprē-in-ˈdə-strē-əl 

variants or pre-industrial

1

: not having developed or adopted industry : not industrialized

preindustrial agrarian societies

preindustrial civilization

2

: occurring, existing, or originating before the development or adoption of industry

in preindustrial times

preindustrial levels of carbon dioxide

preindustrial artifacts

still made using preindustrial methods

also : resembling that of preindustrial times

a return to a preindustrial way of life

Examples of preindustrial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Their findings show that during the Late Jurassic, around 150 million years ago, atmospheric CO₂ concentrations were roughly four times higher than preindustrial levels. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Aug. 2025

The planet will almost certainly warm beyond an internationally agreed upon target of 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels. —Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2025

These warming levels represent an average level of warming of the Earth’s temperature since preindustrial times. —Rachel Frazin, The Hill, 19 June 2025

Atmospheric carbon dioxide has risen sharply since preindustrial times, owing mostly to human activities that pump greenhouse gases into the air. —Denise Chow, NBC news, 5 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for preindustrial

• nonindustrial
• postindustrial
• industrial