pre-Columbian

American  

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

adjective

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

   pre-Columbian art; pre-Columbian Indians.

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pre-Columbian British  

adjective

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

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Etymology

Origin of pre-Columbian

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

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

From The Wall Street Journal

“We wanted the designs to have that pre-Columbian quality, but at the same time to look appropriate for what they are: comic book characters,” says Meza-Leon.

From Los Angeles Times

Mexican anthropologist and sculptor Francisco Cornejo assisted the architects to craft a building that was based on authentic designs of pre-Columbian American societies.

From Los Angeles Times

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

"Such intensive investments in the landscape may have led ultimately to the development of the complex society characteristic of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization, which subsequently occurred in this area by around 1200 BCE."

From Science Daily