prehistoric

adjective

pre·​his·​tor·​ic ˌprē-(h)i-ˈstȯr-ik How to pronounce prehistoric (audio)
-ˈstär-
variants or less commonly prehistorical
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: regarded as being outdated or outmoded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
prehistorically adverb

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
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.
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 In more recent years, however, prehistoric dinosaurs, speeding zombies, and even ancient Greek heroes have invaded the city, thanks to a plethora of movie makers choosing it as their primary filming location. AFAR Media, 21 Mar. 2025 Yet, no evidence of cooking or consumption has been found—unlike some other prehistoric sites where frog bones bear cut marks or signs of burning. Scott Travers, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025 The creator of the trend does it while playing music from Jurassic Park in the background, which really adds to the prehistoric vibes, IMO. Annabelle Canela, Parents, 19 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for prehistoric

Word History

First Known Use

1832, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of prehistoric was in 1832

Cite this Entry

“Prehistoric.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prehistoric. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

prehistoric

adjective
pre·​his·​tor·​ic ˌprē-(h)is-ˈtȯr-ik How to pronounce prehistoric (audio)
-ˈtär-
: of, relating to, or existing in times before written history
prehistoric animals
prehistorically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on prehistoric

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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