prehistory

[ pree-his-tuh-ree, -his-tree ]
See synonyms for prehistory on Thesaurus.com
noun,plural pre·his·to·ries.
  1. human history in the period before recorded events, known mainly through archaeological discoveries, study, research, etc.; history of prehistoric humans.

  2. a history of the events or incidents leading to a crisis, situation, or the like.

Origin of prehistory

1
First recorded in 1870–75; pre- + history

Other words from prehistory

  • pre·his·to·ri·an [pree-hi-stawr-ee-uhn, -stohr-], /ˌpri hɪˈstɔr i ən, -ˈstoʊr-/, noun

Words Nearby prehistory

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use prehistory in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for prehistory

prehistory

/ (priːˈhɪstərɪ) /


nounplural -ries
  1. the prehistoric period

  2. the study of this period, relying entirely on archaeological evidence

Derived forms of prehistory

  • prehistorian (ˌpriːhɪˈstɔːrɪən), noun

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