presettlement

adjective

pre·​set·​tle·​ment ˌprē-ˈse-tᵊl-mənt How to pronounce presettlement (audio)
variants or pre-settlement
1
: existing or occurring before occupation by settlers
the presettlement wildlife population
historical descriptions of presettlement forests
In presettlement times, heavily vegetated surroundings contributed small amounts of sediment and nutrients to these wetlands.Jon A. Kusler et al.
… a reasonable midpoint between the extremes of doing nothing and trying to return the bay to its presettlement condition.Deborah S. Knopman and Megan M. Susman
2
law : existing or occurring before a settlement (see settlement sense 2a) is reached
a presettlement hearing/conference
She estimated that about 25 percent of presettlement loans result in a loss to the lender because the settlement did not come through.Ken Belson

Examples of presettlement in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The land that was here presettlement is gone. ... Susan Du, Star Tribune, 20 May 2021 By the 1990s, the presettlement population of about 10,000 iguanas had fallen to about 200. Murray Carpenter, BostonGlobe.com, 4 June 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'presettlement.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1901, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of presettlement was in 1901

Dictionary Entries Near presettlement

Cite this Entry

“Presettlement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/presettlement. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

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