prehistoric
/priːhɪˈstɒrɪk
/adjective
1Relating to or denoting the period before written records: prehistoric man...
- The late prehistoric archaeological record at La Crosse is dominated by a series of Oneota village sites.
- Among sites recorded are a possible prehistoric earthwork enclosure and industrial remains.
- There is, as yet, no convincing archaeological evidence for tin exploitation in the west of England in the prehistoric period.
Synonyms
primitive, primeval, primordial, primal, earliest, ancient, early, antediluvian
rare pristine, primigenial
1.1 informal Very old, primitive, or out of date: my dad’s electric typewriter was a prehistoric machine...
- The woman cranks away vainly at a machine that looks prehistoric but the man thinks faster.
- They are the oldest of old hat: ancient hat, prehistoric hat.
- Without doubt, the best borrowing product around by far - they make traditional mortgages look positively prehistoric.
Synonyms
out of date, outdated, outmoded, old-fashioned, passé, ancient, antiquated, archaic, antique, superannuated, anachronistic, outworn, behind the times, primitive, medieval, quaint, old-fangled, obsolescent, obsolete, antediluvian, fossilized
informal out of the ark, old hat, creaky, clunky, mouldy
North American informal horse-and-buggy, mossy
Derivatives
prehistorically
- The two letters are on the middle-right of the stone but, more interestingly, at the top left are a couple of scratches that look as though someone has started to inscribe a pattern, maybe prehistorically, and then given up.
- Out of 94 species of native land birds, 35 were exterminated prehistorically and 8 more have become extinct in the historical period; thus 46% of the original bird fauna is now extinct.
- Asbestos probably formed prehistorically when hot waters containing carbon dioxide and dissolved salts under high pressure acted upon rock deposits of iron, magnesia, and silica.
Origin
Mid 19th century: from French préhistorique (see pre-, historic).