preclassic
|pre-class-ic|
/ˌpriːˈklæsɪk/
before the classical period
Etymology
'preclassic' originates from Latin prefix 'pre-' (from Latin 'prae', meaning 'before') combined with 'classic', which ultimately comes from Latin 'classicus' (from 'classis', meaning 'a class or division').
'classic' passed from Latin 'classicus' into French as 'classique' and then into modern English as 'classic'; the compound 'preclassic' was formed later in modern English by adding the prefix 'pre-' to 'classic', particularly in technical and archaeological usage.
Initially the elements meant 'before' + 'of a class' so 'before the classical'; over time the compound kept the sense 'prior to the classical period' and became a technical term used especially to name specific historical/archaeological periods (e.g., the Preclassic of Mesoamerica).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
(countable) The period or things belonging to the time before a classical period; e.g., 'the Preclassic' as a historical period in regional chronology.
Archaeologists dated several sites to the Preclassic of the region.
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Adjective 1
relating to or characteristic of a time before the classical period; preceding the classical era.
The museum displayed pottery from the preclassic era that showed early artistic development.
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Adjective 2
(Archaeology) Specifically relating to the Preclassic period in Mesoamerica (also called the Formative period), before the Classic period of Maya and other cultures.
Preclassic Maya settlements show the rise of agriculture and village life.
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Last updated: 2026/01/03 06:28