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: regarded as being outdated or outmoded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 of prehistoric
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
These stones suggest the dinosaur was an opportunistic omnivore, snacking on everything from prehistoric ferns to crunchy insects and small animals.
—
Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 19 Mar. 2026
Visitors can learn about the area’s prehistoric past at this walk-through exhibition on the shore of Grapevine Lake, with hands-on activities for the whole family.
—Travis Pinson, Dallas Morning News, 19 Mar. 2026
The findings, which published February 19 in the journal Science, suggest that the prehistoric creature is a close relative of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus, a giant fish-eating dinosaur with a sail across its back, first described in 1915 by German paleontologist Ernst Stromer von Reichenbach.
—Lily Hautau, CNN Money, 19 Mar. 2026
The island’s modern snake population includes more than 50 species, but none come close to the size of this prehistoric animal.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prehistoric
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 19 Mar. 2026
Visitors can learn about the area’s prehistoric past at this walk-through exhibition on the shore of Grapevine Lake, with hands-on activities for the whole family.
—Travis Pinson, Dallas Morning News, 19 Mar. 2026
The findings, which published February 19 in the journal Science, suggest that the prehistoric creature is a close relative of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus, a giant fish-eating dinosaur with a sail across its back, first described in 1915 by German paleontologist Ernst Stromer von Reichenbach.
—Lily Hautau, CNN Money, 19 Mar. 2026
The island’s modern snake population includes more than 50 species, but none come close to the size of this prehistoric animal.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prehistoric
Cite this Entry
“Prehistoric.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prehistoric. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
