Prehistorically

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. Relating to or characteristic of the period before recorded history, often referring to the early development of human societies
2. Pertaining to the era preceding written records, highlighting early tools and social structures of ancient civilizations
3. Connected to the time before documentation, emphasizing the culture, life, and environment of ancient peoples

Etymology: The core of this word is the Greek "historia," a term for inquiry or learned account, built from "hístōr," meaning one who knows or has learned, which traces back to a root meaning "to see." Latin borrowed "historia" and "historicus," and English took "historic" from Latin, so the idea of a recorded past rests on the notion of someone who has seen or found out. "Prehistoric" adds the prefix "pre-," which English received through Middle English from Latin "prae," meaning "before." Together the parts describe the time before anyone was recording events. The adverb ending "-ally" is a fusion of "-al," which forms adjectives, and "-ly," which forms adverbs. The "-ly" part descends from Old English "-līce," a suffix meaning "in the manner of." Adding "-ally" to "prehistoric" yields a word meaning "in a way relating to the period before recorded history."