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

Beyond records, the EU is highlighting the fact that the one-year period ending in May was 1.63° C above the average temperatures of the 1850–1900 period, which are used as a baseline for preindustrial temperatures. —John Timmer, Ars Technica, 6 June 2024

In 2023, the hottest year ever measured, the average global temperature was 1.52°C above the preindustrial average, as my colleague Umair Irfan reported. —Benji Jones, Vox, 16 May 2024

All three nations, like every other Paris signatory, have pledged to do what’s necessary to try to keep global temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels — which scientists say involves slashing carbon emissions 43% by 2030 — a tall order. —Sammy Roth, The Mercury News, 2 July 2024

For the month of June, global temperatures are likely to be slightly warmer than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above preindustrial levels, Hausfather said. —Scott Dance, Washington Post, 22 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined at sense 2