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: regarded as being outdated or outmoded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
Synonyms
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 tradition of burying people with objects was common during older, prehistoric eras.
—
Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2024
Mounds Meander, 11 a.m. at Mounds State Park: Who built the 10 prehistoric earthworks that gave Mounds State Park its name?
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 11 Apr. 2024
By the 1990s, the notion that prehistoric life was harmonious was criticized as condescending.
—Stefanos Geroulanos, Twin Cities, 10 Apr. 2024
Not Star Wars–, Harry Potter–, or Barbie-themed but the rarest cacti and succulents, cycads with Jurassic bloodlines, towering prehistoric fern trees, dragon trees, bromeliads among Spanish moss, and so much more.
—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 30 Mar. 2024
So there’s this big prehistoric lizard, see, and once upon a time, the powers that be tried to kill him with a nuclear bomb.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 Mar. 2024
According to the scientists, naming the prehistoric species after an iconic frog like Kermit is a way to bridge the gap between historians, researchers and the general public.
—Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 24 Mar. 2024
Coelophysis fossils have also been discovered in the park, but dinosaurs only make up a fraction of the prehistoric life that once thrived across its more than 221,000 acres.
—Eve Chen, USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2024
What used to be Fairy Tale Brook, a boat ride through classic storybook scenes, is now a sightseeing tour of colorful prehistoric creatures.
—Natallie Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Mar. 2024
Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2024
Mounds Meander, 11 a.m. at Mounds State Park: Who built the 10 prehistoric earthworks that gave Mounds State Park its name?
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 11 Apr. 2024
By the 1990s, the notion that prehistoric life was harmonious was criticized as condescending.
—Stefanos Geroulanos, Twin Cities, 10 Apr. 2024
Not Star Wars–, Harry Potter–, or Barbie-themed but the rarest cacti and succulents, cycads with Jurassic bloodlines, towering prehistoric fern trees, dragon trees, bromeliads among Spanish moss, and so much more.
—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 30 Mar. 2024
So there’s this big prehistoric lizard, see, and once upon a time, the powers that be tried to kill him with a nuclear bomb.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 Mar. 2024
According to the scientists, naming the prehistoric species after an iconic frog like Kermit is a way to bridge the gap between historians, researchers and the general public.
—Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 24 Mar. 2024
Coelophysis fossils have also been discovered in the park, but dinosaurs only make up a fraction of the prehistoric life that once thrived across its more than 221,000 acres.
—Eve Chen, USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2024
What used to be Fairy Tale Brook, a boat ride through classic storybook scenes, is now a sightseeing tour of colorful prehistoric creatures.
—Natallie Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prehistoric.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near prehistoric
Cite this Entry
“Prehistoric.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prehistoric. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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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