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: regarded as being outdated or outmoded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
The languages spoken by nearly half of the world’s population—including some four hundred million native speakers of English—are thought to have descended from this prehistoric language.
—
Martha Barnette
august 6, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2025
Ten Little Dinos This four-minute video takes kids deep into the prehistoric jungle where ten colorful eggs are cozy in their nest.
—Marilyn La Jeunesse, Parents, 5 Aug. 2025
While many people visit Mammoth Cave to explore its vast chambers and underground passages for their sheer size and stunning beauty, few realize the sheer number of prehistoric secrets hidden in its walls.
—Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2025
Universal’s dinosaur tentpole, which rebooted the prehistoric series with Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey and Mahershala Ali at the helm, has grossed $766 million globally after five weekends of release.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 3 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prehistoric
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Martha Barnette
august 6, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2025
Ten Little Dinos This four-minute video takes kids deep into the prehistoric jungle where ten colorful eggs are cozy in their nest.
—Marilyn La Jeunesse, Parents, 5 Aug. 2025
While many people visit Mammoth Cave to explore its vast chambers and underground passages for their sheer size and stunning beauty, few realize the sheer number of prehistoric secrets hidden in its walls.
—Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2025
Universal’s dinosaur tentpole, which rebooted the prehistoric series with Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey and Mahershala Ali at the helm, has grossed $766 million globally after five weekends of release.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 3 Aug. 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 21 Aug. 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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