Abbevillian

or Abbe·vill·e·an

[ ab-vil-ee-uhn, -vil-yuhn, ab-uh-vil- ]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or typical of an early Lower Paleolithic industry of the middle Pleistocene Epoch in Europe, characterized by the manufacture of large flakes and hand axes; Chellean.

Abbevillian

/ -jən; æbˈvɪlɪən /

noun

1. the period represented by Lower Palaeolithic European sites containing the earliest hand axes, dating from the Mindel glaciation See also Acheulian

adjective

1. of or relating to this period

Abbevillian

/ ăb′ə-vĭl′ē-ən /

1. Relating to the earliest Paleolithic archaeological sites in Europe, characterized by bifacial stone hand axes.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Abbevillian¹

< French abbevillien (1932); Abbeville, -ian

Word History and Origins

Origin of Abbevillian¹

C20: after Abbeville , where the stone tools were discovered