pre-Columbian

American

[pree-kuh-luhm-bee-uhn] / ˌpri kəˈlʌm bi ən /

adjective

of or relating to the Americas before the arrival of Columbus.

pre-Columbian art; pre-Columbian Indians.

pre-Columbian British

adjective

of or relating to the Americas before they were discovered by Columbus

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of pre-Columbian

First recorded in 1885–90

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.

King Felipe VI made the remarks while speaking with Mexico’s ambassador to Spain, Quirino Ordaz, during a visit to a museum exhibition in Madrid about the role of women in pre-Columbian Mexico.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026

A case in point is the Inca Road, arguably the greatest infrastructure accomplishment of pre-Columbian times.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 10, 2025

The terrain is difficult enough and inaccessible enough that it likely would not have been utilized even by pre-Columbian peoples, certainly not in a permanent way.

From Salon • Apr. 26, 2025

Ancient Aztec communities from the pre-Columbian period of Mesoamerica had a rich mythological codex that was also part of their ritual and sacrificial ceremonies.

From Science Daily • Nov. 19, 2024

To the consternation of archaeologists, long planters full of ancient terra preta, complete with pre-Columbian potsherds, greet visitors to the Santarem airport.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023