preliterate

P3R1E1L1I1T1E1R1A1T1E1

adjective

that has not yet developed a written language

Similar
illiteratenonliteratenoncivilizednoncivilised
OriginEnglish literate ← Middle English pre- ← Latin prae- →
Scrabble 13
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Meanings

adjectivepreliterate (not comparable)
  1. not comparablethat has not yet developed a written language
  2. not comparablewho has not yet learned to read and write
nounpreliterate (plural preliterates)

plural preliterates

  1. a member of such a culture

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivenot yet having acquired the ability to read and write

Similar
illiterate

adjectiveused of a society that has not developed writing

Similar
nonliteratenoncivilizednoncivilised
Also see
illiteratenoncivilizednonliterate

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*per-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*preh₂-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*préh₂i?
  4. Proto-Italic*prai
  5. Proto-Italic*prai-
  6. Latinprae-
  7. Middle Englishpre-
  8. Englishpre-
  9. Englishliterate
  10. Englishpreliterate

From pre- + literate.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

preliterate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/preliterate

MLA

“preliterate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/preliterate. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “preliterate,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/preliterate.

Source: preliterate on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.