prelapsarian

adj.
Of or relating to the period before the fall of Adam and Eve.

[PRE- + Latin lāpsus, fall; see lapse + -ARIAN.]

(pree-lap-SAYR-ee-uhn)

adjective
Relating to any innocent or carefree period in the past.

Etymology
From Latin pre- (before) + lapsus (fall). The term refers to the period in the Garden of Eden before Adam and Eve lost their innocence

Usage
"Telluride [film festival] took place in the bucolic setting of the Colorado mountains in the prelapsarian weeks prior to September 11." — B. Ruby Rich; Season's Greetings; The Nation (New York); Oct 22, 2001 .

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Nicholas Kristof reached back to the dawn of time with his battle cry for liberals to take on questions of religion, meanwhile contributing a top Alt-Click:

"The squeamishness about sexuality led the church into such absurdities as a debate about 'prelapsarian sex': the question of whether Adam and Eve might have slept together in the Garden of Eden."

Link: Liberal Bible-Thumping

Posted May 16, 2005.

See our Word Overheard blog to see interesting uses of strange words.

of or relating to the time before the fall of mankind