precolonial

[ pree-kuh-loh-nee-uhl ]

adjective

1. of or relating to the time before a region or country became a colony.

Word History and Origins

Origin of precolonial¹

First recorded in 1960–65; pre- + colonial

Example Sentences

In precolonial Nigeria, the Ekwe people were gender-fluid, to ensure that there was a male in the household.

From Washington Blade

“The mangrove vegetation was a thriving, healthy ecosystem in precolonial times,” says Ismail Barua, Mikoko Pamoja’s chairperson.

From Science News

It was true that Manon was still a precolonial planet only as a technicality.

From Project Gutenberg