antemosaic

See also: ante-Mosaic

English

Etymology

ante- +‎ Mosaic

Adjective

antemosaic (not comparable)

1. Before the time of Moses.
   • 1747, Samuel Hebden, A treatise on forms of prayer of human composition‎^[1], page 44:

     This was practised not only in the Antemosaic Times, but afterwards.

   • 1837 September, Christian Examiner‎^[2], volume 23, page 46:

     The manners and condition of society referred to or implied in some, at least, of the following passages, adduced by De Wette, seem to point to a much later period of Jewish history, than the Antemosaic or Mosaic age.

   • 1851, Herman Melville, Moby-Dick:

     I am horrorstruck at this antemosaic, unsourced existence of the unspeakable terrors of the whale, which, having been before all time, must needs exist after all humane ages are over.