Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Prior to the time of Christopher Columbus; occurring or existing before the discovery of America by Columbus: as, a pre-Columbian discovery of America.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective of or relating to or originating in the Americas before the arrival of Columbus

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • In American Indian tribes, from pre-columbian times until recent history, humans self-identified as "The People," in their respective languages.

    Thoughts on Identity wendigomountain 2010

  • The new left has made complete fiction of the population estimates for the Americas in pre-columbian times.

    New World Apocalypse, Bryan Caplan | EconLog | Library of Economics and Liberty 2009

  • On a trip to Teotihuacan, the pre-columbian archeological site north of Mexico City, Carla's palms burned as she stood before the Pyramid of the Sun, but she didn't ask me if mine did too.

    Rebecca Walker: My Indigo Girl 2010

  • The middle ages, pre-columbian America, the history of Africa, Europe in the middle ages, eastern Europe in the 19th century, especially the Russian conquest of the Caucasus, the Greek war of independence, the Crimean war, the Japanese-Russian war of 1905... the list goes on and on.

    History Channel Walter Jon Williams 2010

  • Additionally, I would include the "dije" pronounced in spanish as dee'-heh — in the sense of a devotional artifact both in the pre-columbian and catholic traditions.

    SWEATblog: October 2009 Archives 2009

  • A pre-columbian stone statue stands watch over the beach below; local kids building sandcastles and slinging mud

    Archive 2009-01-01 Belizean' A New Trail 2009

  • Her tasty sauces are created by grinding chilis and spices together in a molcajete, the same type of stone mortar and pestle used in pre-columbian cultures.

    Huellas ...Dona Carlota 2007

  • A pre-columbian stone statue stands watch over the beach below; local kids building sandcastles and slinging mud

    Surfing, Beaches, Craters, Lakes, and Leatherbacks Belizean' A New Trail 2009

  • Her tasty sauces are created by grinding chilis and spices together in a molcajete, the same type of stone mortar and pestle used in pre-columbian cultures.

    Huellas ...Dona Carlota 2007

  • Additionally, I would include the "dije" pronounced in spanish as dee'-heh — in the sense of a devotional artifact both in the pre-columbian and catholic traditions.

    SWEATblog: Play and Not Play 2009

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