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: regarded as being outdated or outmoded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
Researchers have been able to examine the soft tissues of other prehistoric marine reptiles.
—
Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Feb. 2025
Everyone's favorite candidate for the identity of the Loch Ness monster, the plesiosaurs were a group of prehistoric marine reptiles that lived in oceans throughout the world between 203 and 66 million years ago.
—Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 7 Feb. 2025
Kids can climb on one of the life-like prehistoric creatures and take a ride.
—Del Mar Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Jan. 2025
This is a landscape so large and prehistoric that humans seem like intruders.
—Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for prehistoric 
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Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Feb. 2025
Everyone's favorite candidate for the identity of the Loch Ness monster, the plesiosaurs were a group of prehistoric marine reptiles that lived in oceans throughout the world between 203 and 66 million years ago.
—Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 7 Feb. 2025
Kids can climb on one of the life-like prehistoric creatures and take a ride.
—Del Mar Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Jan. 2025
This is a landscape so large and prehistoric that humans seem like intruders.
—Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for prehistoric
Dictionary Entries Near prehistoric
Cite this Entry
“Prehistoric.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prehistoric. Accessed 13 Feb. 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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