I. (ˈ)prē+ noun
Etymology: pre- + history
1. : the study of prehistoric man
many different sciences, notably geology, paleontology, archaeology, comparative anatomy, and even psychology, have combined to give us that body of knowledge which we call prehistory — R.W.Murray
2. : a history of the antecedents of an event or situation
the prehistory of existing racial tensions must be considered
II. noun
: the prehistoric period of man's evolution