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View synonyms for preliterate

preliterate

[ pree-lit-er-it ]

adjective

, Anthropology.
  1. lacking a written language; nonliterate:

    a preliterate culture.

  2. occurring before the development or use of writing.

preliterate

/ priːˈlɪtərɪt; priːˈlɪtərəsɪ /

adjective

  1. relating to a society that has not developed a written language
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • preliteracy, noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of preliterate1

First recorded in 1920–25; pre- + literate

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prelingually deafPrelog

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