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: regarded as being outdated or outmoded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

prehistorically

ˌprē-(h)i-ˈstȯr-i-k(ə-)lē 

-ˈstär-

adverb

Synonyms

• antiquated
• archaic
• dated
• démodé
• demoded
• fossilized
• kaput
• kaputt
• medieval
• mediaeval
• moribund
• mossy
• moth-eaten
• neolithic
• Noachian
• obsolete
• out-of-date
• outdated
• outmoded
• outworn
• passé
• rusty
• Stone Age
• superannuated

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

Does the music industry instantly revert to the prehistoric epoch of 2017—will Snapchat become the hottest major label scouting ground? —Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 17 Jan. 2025

The objects were removed from the site before the start of construction during two years of careful digging and include prehistoric tools and other artifacts made by human hands, as well as exceedingly rare and well-preserved animal and plant remnants. —Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 16 Jan. 2025

Put another way, more than 8,000 of the giant, prehistoric animals have been killed only for their horns, their bodies left to rot. —Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 16 Jan. 2025

Consider Lascaux in France, which is a cave covered in prehistoric art. —Michelle Mastro, Architectural Digest, 16 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1832, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids 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

prehistorically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb