prehuman

1. not comparablePreceding the advent of modern humanity, Homo sapiens.

   In the recently opened Anne and Bernard Spitzer Hall of Human Origins, there are more than 200 casts of prehuman and human fossils and artifacts that illustrate stages in physical and behavioral evolution.

   2007 March 9, The New York Times, “Spare Times”, in New York Times

   Synonyms: antehuman · Antonyms: posthuman, transhuman

plural prehumans

1. One of the human-like creatures that existed before Homo sapiens.

   They said the find also added to evidence that painted a picture of Homo erectus as the prehumans who took long evolutionary strides — figuratively and, now it seems, also literally.

   2009 February 27, John Noble Wilford, “Prints Show a Modern Foot in Prehumans”, in New York Times

   Antonyms: posthuman, transhuman