prehistory
noun
pre·his·to·ry
ˌprē-ˈhi-st(ə-)rē 
1
: the study of prehistoric humankind
2
: a history of the antecedents of an event, situation, or thing
3
: the prehistoric period of human evolution
Examples of prehistory in a Sentence
We are learning about the prehistory of North America.
Recent Examples on the Web
Everything before 1973 is consigned to the mists of prehistory.
—
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2024
This is embodied by the three ages of prehistory that are so often mentioned in essays and textbooks alike — the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 10 May 2024
And now, a local high school has gotten a powerful reminder of that fact: Construction work at the San Pedro High School on the Palos Verdes Peninsula revealed millions of marine fossils beneath its campus that testify to the region’s aquatic prehistory.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Sep. 2024
The explorer built the balsa wood raft to show that people could have made the trip in prehistory.
—Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 7 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for prehistory 
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Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2024
This is embodied by the three ages of prehistory that are so often mentioned in essays and textbooks alike — the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 10 May 2024
And now, a local high school has gotten a powerful reminder of that fact: Construction work at the San Pedro High School on the Palos Verdes Peninsula revealed millions of marine fossils beneath its campus that testify to the region’s aquatic prehistory.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Sep. 2024
The explorer built the balsa wood raft to show that people could have made the trip in prehistory.
—Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 7 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for prehistory
Dictionary Entries Near prehistory
Cite this Entry
“Prehistory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prehistory. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prehistory
noun
pre·his·to·ry
(ˈ)prē-ˈhis-t(ə-)rē
: the study of prehistoric man
prehistorian
noun
ˌprē-(h)is-ˈtōr-ē-ən
-ˈtȯr-
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