prehistoric
adjective
pre·his·tor·ic
ˌprē-(h)i-ˈstȯr-ik 
-ˈstär-
variants
or less commonly prehistorical
ˌprē-(h)i-ˈstȯr-i-kəl
-ˈstär-
1
: of, relating to, or existing in times antedating written history
2
: of or relating to a language in a period of its development from which contemporary records of its sounds and forms have not been preserved
3
: regarded as being outdated or outmoded
prehistoric attitudes
Examples of prehistoric in a Sentence
His attitudes about women are downright prehistoric.
prehistoric notions about mental illness that have no place in today's world
Recent Examples on the Web
Well, a team of scientists unearthed ancient footprints that offer insight into how various prehistoric animals lived as far back as 50 million years.
—
Jonathan Limehouse, USA Today, 20 Apr. 2025
Before boarding the barge in Inverness, travelers can visit Culloden Moor, the scene of the famous 1746 battle, a pivotal moment in Outlander and Clava Cairns, the burial site of a prehistoric clan chieftain, widely believed to have inspired the standing stones of Craigh na Dun in the series.
—Emese MacZko, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
European archaeologists theorize prehistoric humans used Quina scrapers while hunting migratory animals.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2025
Part of what makes America beautiful is its special creatures like the prehistoric-looking Mojave desert tortoise, whose survival in Nevada is more dire since a federal grant awarded to protect it from being run over by cars is among the frozen grants.
—Noël Fletcher, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prehistoric
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Jonathan Limehouse, USA Today, 20 Apr. 2025
Before boarding the barge in Inverness, travelers can visit Culloden Moor, the scene of the famous 1746 battle, a pivotal moment in Outlander and Clava Cairns, the burial site of a prehistoric clan chieftain, widely believed to have inspired the standing stones of Craigh na Dun in the series.
—Emese MacZko, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
European archaeologists theorize prehistoric humans used Quina scrapers while hunting migratory animals.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2025
Part of what makes America beautiful is its special creatures like the prehistoric-looking Mojave desert tortoise, whose survival in Nevada is more dire since a federal grant awarded to protect it from being run over by cars is among the frozen grants.
—Noël Fletcher, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prehistoric
Cite this Entry
“Prehistoric.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prehistoric. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prehistoric
adjective
pre·his·tor·ic
ˌprē-(h)is-ˈtȯr-ik
-ˈtär-
: of, relating to, or existing in times before written history
prehistoric animals
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