prehispanic

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *per-

Proto-Indo-European *preh₂-

Proto-Indo-European *-i

Proto-Indo-European *préh₂i?

Proto-Italic *prai

Proto-Italic *prai-

Latin prae-lbor.

Middle English pre-

English pre-

English Hispanic

English prehispanic

From pre- + Hispanic.

Adjective

prehispanic (not comparable)

1. Of or pertaining to the period of time before, or during the early part of the 16th century when Spanish explorers arrived and began to colonize the New World, e.g. Mesoamerica, South America, the Philippines, etc.