From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpre-verbalpre-verb‧al /ˌpriː ˈvɜːbəl◂ $ -ɜːr-/ adjective [only before noun] technical SLhappening before a child has learned to speak the pre-verbal stages
Examples from the Corpus
pre-verbal• Some constructs may reflect pre-verbal bases of organization which can not be accounted for by rational explanation.• Their pointing gestures and vocalisations will be video-recorded to allow detailed analyses to be carried out on the characteristics of pre-verbal communication.• An early start is good as parents can help with the programmes in the home, even at a pre-verbal stage. 