prehistory
noun
pre·his·to·ry
ˌprē-ˈhi-st(ə-)rē 
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
In the six previous Civ installments released since 1991, players guide a culture—such as the Aztecs, the Americas, or the French—from prehistory to modernity.
—
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2025
In ancient prehistory, such tribes were small enough that everyone knew everybody else.
—Harvey Whitehouse, WIRED, 23 Jan. 2025
Mike Parker Pearson, a professor of British later prehistory at University College London, has proposed that Stonehenge’s very creation may hinge on the stone’s geographical distance.
—Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 20 Dec. 2024
Her indispensable account of the prehistory of the U.S. economic security state argues that elite strategies of domination are only half the story, if that.
—Henry Farrell, Foreign Affairs, 23 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for prehistory
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Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2025
In ancient prehistory, such tribes were small enough that everyone knew everybody else.
—Harvey Whitehouse, WIRED, 23 Jan. 2025
Mike Parker Pearson, a professor of British later prehistory at University College London, has proposed that Stonehenge’s very creation may hinge on the stone’s geographical distance.
—Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 20 Dec. 2024
Her indispensable account of the prehistory of the U.S. economic security state argues that elite strategies of domination are only half the story, if that.
—Henry Farrell, Foreign Affairs, 23 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for prehistory
Cite this Entry
“Prehistory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prehistory. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prehistory
noun
pre·his·to·ry
(ˈ)prē-ˈhis-t(ə-)rē
: the study of prehistoric man
prehistorian
noun
ˌprē-(h)is-ˈtōr-ē-ən
-ˈtȯr-
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