Dictionary
pre•his•to•ry
Pronunciation: (prē-his'tu-rē, -his'trē), [key]—
n.,
—pl. -ries.
1. human history in the period before recorded events, known mainly through archaeological discoveries, study, research, etc.; history of prehistoric humans.
2. a history of the events or incidents leading to a crisis, situation, or the like.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.