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 Another, Undine kommt (Undine Comes), 2025, has its head in profile with a frontal eye, evoking the conventions of ancient Egyptian art and prehistoric female figurines, motifs that permeate Stötzer’s drawings, writings, and costumes. — Elisa R. Linn, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026 After all, winds on the Black Rock Desert’s playa, or prehistoric lake bed, can reach up to seventy-five miles an hour and are loaded with enough alkali particles to burn the skin, and temperatures can range from a hundred and ten to forty. — Henry Alford, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026 Sometimes, trips to the national park include side visits to the famous prehistoric-looking Komodo dragons. — Kathryn Romeyn, Travel + Leisure, 26 Aug. 2026 That was back in prehistoric times, of course, but there are still good arguments for a dedicated PC tower or all-in-one as part of your student's edu-tech loadout. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 25 Aug. 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 Lukas’ father is at pains to cope with the situation without resorting to archaic methods of patriarchal control.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The rest were made with metalpoint, an archaic drafting technique closely associated with Renaissance drawing in Italy and Northern Europe.
    — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of archaic
Adjective
  • Probably the easiest description of psychosis is the obsolete term of insanity.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2026
  • But as the history of trading technology shows, what is considered groundbreaking one day can be obsolete the next.
    — Brian Lund, Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of obsolete
Adjective
  • The Scene The Bayeux Tapestry, which went on display in the British Museum this week, is one of the wonders of the medieval world.
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Now, Greengrass applies his signature style to the Middle Ages — can shaky cam work in a medieval movie?
    — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of medieval
Adjective
  • Costco online cake ordering updates antiquated system The online cake ordering feature was first revealed to be on the way by Costco CEO Ron Vachris in the company's quarterly earnings call in December 2025.
    — Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Additionally, interviews and encounters with the slain officers’ family members also illustrate the cost and harm of a job that was formed in the early 19th century and remains antiquated and unchanged in our 21st-century world.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 20 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 13 Sep. 2026.

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