prehistory
Americannoun
plural
prehistories-
human history in the period before recorded events, known mainly through archaeological discoveries, study, research, etc.; history of prehistoric humans.
-
a history of the events or incidents leading to a crisis, situation, or the like.
noun
-
the prehistoric period
-
the study of this period, relying entirely on archaeological evidence
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of prehistory
Explanation
Prehistory refers to the period of time before civilization and writing. We don't know a lot about prehistory. Since pre means "before," and history is the record of human events, prehistory refers to the time before human civilization developed and started writing things down. Scientists often speculate about what happened in prehistory, which is also known as prehistoric times. When did spoken language develop? What was the first tool? What were families like? Scientists study fossils and artifacts to help them theorize about prehistory, because people weren’t writing things down during that time.
Vocabulary lists containing prehistory
The Origins of Civilization, Lessons 1–2
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Stone Age - Middle School and High School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: pre-
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The work suggests that Stone Age people were as clever as modern-day humans, according to researcher Ewa Dutkiewicz from Berlin's Museum of Prehistory and Early History.
From BBC • Feb. 26, 2026
Dorota Wojtczak will continue her research into Neanderthal life in La Roche-Cotard together with her students from the Prehistory and Archaeological Science degree program.
From Science Daily • Nov. 21, 2023
During their research at the city’s Museum of Prehistory and Early History, scientists examined 1,135 skulls.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 18, 2023
He joined his father as an assistant at the National Museums of Kenya’s Centre for Prehistory and Paleontology and became director of NMK in 1968.
From Science Magazine • Jan. 2, 2022
Prehistory was a phase of evolution during which humans learned how to maintain themselves against a hostile environment.
From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
