Word
prehistory
Phoneticspre·his·to·ry
UK/pɹˈiːhɪstəɹˌi/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. the time in the past before people started writing things down. We know about this time mostly from things they left behind, like tools and bones.
n. the period of human history before the invention of writing systems. It is studied through archaeological evidence rather than written records.
Examples
“Archaeologists study prehistory to learn about early humans.”
“The discovery of cave paintings suggests that prehistory was much more complex than we previously thought.”
“While written records provide a linear narrative of history, prehistory offers a fragmented but vital glimpse into the cognitive and social evolution of our earliest ancestors.”
Examples
simple
“Archaeologists study prehistory to learn about early humans.”
contextual
“The discovery of cave paintings suggests that prehistory was much more complex than we previously thought.”
complex
“While written records provide a linear narrative of history, prehistory offers a fragmented but vital glimpse into the cognitive and social evolution of our earliest ancestors.”
Real-World Examples
“For a long time, the later prehistory of North Africa's Maghreb region (the Mediterranean countries of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia) has been poorly understood.” “This paints a complex picture of the relationship between humans and wolves in the past."
The findings challenge traditional ideas about how humans and wolves interacted in prehistory.” Etymology
From pre- (“before”) + history, first attested in the Foreign Quarterly Review in 1836, after the model of prehistoric, from French préhistorique.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/prehistory