Neolithic

American  

[nee-uh-lith-ik] / ˌni əˈlɪθ ɪk /

adjective

1. (sometimes lowercase) of, relating to, or characteristic of the last phase of the Stone Age, marked by the domestication of animals, the development of agriculture, and the manufacture of pottery and textiles: commonly thought to have begun c9000–8000 b.c. in the Middle East.

2. (usually lowercase) belonging to or remaining from an earlier era; outdated; passé.

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Neolithic British  

/ ˌniːəʊˈlɪθɪk /

noun

1. the cultural period that lasted in SW Asia from about 9000 to 6000 _bc and in Europe from about 4000 to 2400 _bc and was characterized by primitive crop growing and stock rearing and the use of polished stone and flint tools and weapons

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adjective

1. relating to this period

Neolithic Scientific  

/ nē′ə-lĭth′ĭk /

1. The period of human culture that began around 10,000 years ago in the Middle East and later in other parts of the world. It is characterized by the beginning of farming, the domestication of animals, the development of crafts such as pottery and weaving, and the making of polished stone tools. The Neolithic Period is generally considered to end for any particular region with the introduction of metalworking, writing, or other developments of urban civilization.

2. Also called New Stone Age

3. Compare Mesolithic Paleolithic

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Other Word Forms

• preneolithic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of Neolithic

First recorded in 1860–65; neo- + -lithic

Compare meaning

How does neolithic compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Paleolithic vs. Neolithic

Explanation

In archaeology, anything that dates from the later part of Stone Age, from around 8,000–3,000 BCE, is described as neolithic. That strange stone you found in your yard might be part of a neolithic axe — or it could just be an ordinary rock. When archaeologists use this term, they tend to capitalize it. It's also known as the "New Stone Age," and that's exactly what neolithic means — neo, "new," and -lith, "stone." The Neolithic period occurred about 12,000 years ago, when people began to farm and used polished stone tools, and it was followed by the Bronze Age. If you want to scornfully refer to something as outdated or passé, you can also call it neolithic.

Example Sentences

Because Mr. Wyman’s story traverses the Neolithic and Urban Revolutions, Childe’s shadow looms large in the background.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

By uncovering the social and cultural roles violence played during the Neolithic period, the study adds an important new perspective to human history.

From Science Daily • Feb. 8, 2026

To estimate human monogamy levels, Dyble analyzed genetic evidence from archaeological sites, including Bronze Age burial grounds in Europe and Neolithic settlements in Anatolia.

From Science Daily • Jan. 22, 2026

Metaphorically, the answer must be yes, because any fragment can be used as a touchstone for meditation and memory making, whether in a cathedral or Neolithic stone circle.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 16, 2026

Bones of domestic animals were important raw materials for artifacts of Neolithic peoples before the development of metallurgy.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond