prehistoric

adjective

ˌprē-(h)i-ˈstȯr-ik How to pronounce prehistoric (audio)
variants also prehistorical
Definition of prehistoricnext
as in archaic
having passed its time of use or usefulness prehistoric notions about mental illness that have no place in today's world

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of prehistoric Imagine two prehistoric humans hearing rustling in the bushes. — Alejandro Cárdenas Villa, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026 Seven bidders battled for Gus for 10 minutes, as new wealth vied for a piece of prehistoric history. — Robert Frank, CNBC, 24 July 2026 Then, after Erica has a peevish moment with Scotty, the gang hears about the landing party’s prehistoric adventures over drinks. — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 23 July 2026 The species has remained unchanged since prehistoric times, finding ways to survive while other species became extinct, according to the San Diego Zoo. — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for prehistoric
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prehistoric
  1. archaic
  2. obsolete
  3. medieval
  4. antiquated
  5. neolithic
Adjective
  • And the rest is public perception, which has shifted against what many Americans see as a dirty, archaic form of power generation.
    — Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Now, if the league would drop its archaic blackout rules, this would be a lot easier for everyone.
    — Scott Powers, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of archaic
Adjective
  • My book is about a cult of Silicon Valley billionaires who believe that in the 21st century, technology will make democracy obsolete.
    — Tonya Mosley, NPR, 10 Aug. 2026
  • An annual audit separates what strengthens your value from what may be becoming obsolete.
    — Nirit Cohen, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of obsolete
Adjective
  • Divination practices often use Tarot cards or the ogham alphabet, which was originally employed in early medieval Irish and Pictish inscriptions.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026
  • StemRad engineers, though, figured dressing as a medieval knight doesn’t really get you all that much.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of medieval
Adjective
  • Comptroller Brooke Lierman acknowledged that Maryland needed to improve its return rate and modernize its antiquated systems.
    — Mark Lewyn, Baltimore Sun, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Dust ruffles may have gone the way of the dodo after their heyday in the maximalist ’80s, but the absolute best bed skirts (done up in cottagecore ginghams and frothy sateens) are putting the antiquated bed dressing back on the map.
    — Shoko Wanger, Architectural Digest, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of antiquated
Adjective
  • From the Neolithic rock art of what is now Libya to ancient Egypt, China and India, to medieval and Renaissance Europe, creatures at borderlands of what was taken to be civilization were represented as cynocephalic, that is, humans with dog heads.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 June 2026
  • Multiple generations of Neolithic designers relied on communal teamwork and clever construction techniques to precisely place each of the site’s gigantic megaliths about 5,000 years ago.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 4 June 2026
Definition of neolithic

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prehistoric
prejudge
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Cite this Entry

“Prehistoric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prehistoric. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of prehistoric for Spanish Speakers

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