Spanish word

precolombino

Pronunciation

IPA/pɾekolomˈbino/

Meaning

  • adjectivepre-Columbian

Example

Visitamos ruinas precolombinas en el valle.

We visited pre-Columbian ruins in the valley.

Illustration for precolombino (pre-Columbian)

More examples

En el museo hay piezas de arte precolombino.

The museum has pieces of pre-Columbian art.

Core concept

American societies, cultural expressions, and artifacts before 1492.

Common phrases

  • ruinas precolombinas

    pre-Columbian ruins

  • arte precolombino

    pre-Columbian art

Similar words

prehispánico: Regional cultures and archaeological sites that predate Spanish conquest and influence.
indígena: People, cultures, or practices originating with a place's original inhabitants.
ancestral: Traditions, knowledge, or objects passed down through many generations from ancestors.
autóctono: People, species, or cultural traits that are native to and originate in a specific place.

Definition in Spanish

Relativo a las sociedades, manifestaciones culturales o artefactos de América anteriores a la llegada de Cristóbal Colón en 1492.

Word origin

It is formed from Spanish pre- 'before' plus colombino 'of Columbus' and denotes societies, cultural manifestations, and artifacts in the Americas that predate Columbus's 1492 arrival.

Usage tips

  • It is frequently used after a noun in noun phrases (for example, culturas precolombinas or sitios precolombinos) and agrees in gender and number with that noun.

Opposites

Word lists with this word