prehistory

noun

pre·​his·​to·​ry ˌprē-ˈhi-st(ə-)rē How to pronounce prehistory (audio)
1
: the study of prehistoric humankind
2
: a history of the antecedents of an event, situation, or thing
3
: the prehistoric period of human evolution

Examples of prehistory in a Sentence

We are learning about the prehistory of North America.
Recent Examples on the Web It was understood and accepted in that prehistory of gender understandings that brooches were jewels to be worn exclusively by women. Guy Trebay, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 Over the expansive timespan of prehistory, these added up to a sudden shift in the direction of the animals’ evolution. Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024 Spufford, an award-winning British writer, tells an intricate, suspenseful and moving story that rises from the mists of America’s prehistory and morphs into an alternate version of America’s story. Mary Ann Gwinn, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2024 Other miscellaneous finds dating to prehistory included 25 monumental, 8,000-year-old pits that offer clues to life in Mesolithic Britain and a 5,000-year-old tavern in Iraq, complete with a clay refrigerator, benches, storage containers and even traces of food. Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Dec. 2023 Rituals like burning a yule log and hanging a sprig of mistletoe were traditions practiced since Anglo-Saxon and Celtic prehistory. Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 20 Dec. 2023 Girard locates this kind of violence deep in our prehistory. Michelle Orange, Harper's Magazine, 3 Nov. 2023 Political analysts and commentators have variously traced the prehistory of the Donald Trump era to the rise of Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich in 1994 or to the presidential runs of the populist Pat Buchanan from 1992 to 2000. Kenneth Janda, Foreign Affairs, 24 Oct. 2023 His specializations include general prehistory and Old World archaeology, and his research interests include the interpretation and synthesis of world prehistory and human vulnerability in global prehistoric populations. Amiah Taylor, Discover Magazine, 28 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prehistory.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of prehistory was in 1871

Dictionary Entries Near prehistory

Cite this Entry

“Prehistory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prehistory. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

prehistory

noun
pre·​his·​to·​ry (ˈ)prē-ˈhis-t(ə-)rē How to pronounce prehistory (audio)
: the study of prehistoric man
prehistorian
ˌprē-(h)is-ˈtōr-ē-ən
-ˈtȯr-
noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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