preliterary

adjective

pre·​lit·​er·​ary ˌprē-ˈli-tə-ˌrer-ē How to pronounce preliterary (audio)
variants or pre-literary
: preceding the development of a written literature
preliterary Latin
preliterary oral traditions
linguistic developments during the preliterary period

Word History

First Known Use

1876, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of preliterary was in 1876

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Cite this Entry

“Preliterary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preliterary. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.

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