French word

préhistorique

Pronunciation

IPA/pʁeistoʁik/

Meaning

  • adjectiveprehistoric

Example

Le musée expose des objets préhistoriques.

The museum displays prehistoric objects.

Illustration for préhistorique (prehistoric)

More examples

Nous avons visité une grotte préhistorique hier.

We visited a prehistoric cave yesterday.

Core concept

A world of early human life preserved in artifacts and sites, before written sources begin.

Common phrases

  • grotte préhistorique

    prehistoric cave

  • peinture préhistorique

    prehistoric painting

Similar words

ancien: Belonging to an earlier period or referring to something from the past.
antique: Old and valued for its historical or artistic importance.

Definition in French

Qui qualifie ce qui appartient à la préhistoire, c'est-à-dire la période antérieure aux sources écrites.

Word origin

The word is a compound of the prefix pré- and historique, marking a period that comes before history based on written records.

Usage tips

  • Préhistorique is common in museum and history writing, while figurative use can describe something extremely old-fashioned.

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word