Acheulean

or A·cheu·li·an

[ uh-shoo-lee-uh n ]
/ əˈʃu li ən /

adjective

of, relating to, or typical of a Lower Paleolithic culture of the middle Pleistocene Epoch, characterized by large hand axes and cleavers made by the soft hammer technique.

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Origin of Acheulean

1890–95; < French acheuléen, named after St. Acheul, N France (Somme) (where remains were found) + -éen, variant of -ien (< Latin -iānus -ian), orig. with nouns ending in -é
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for acheulian

British Dictionary definitions for acheulian

Acheulian

Acheulean

archaeol

noun

(in Europe) the period in the Lower Palaeolithic following the Abbevillian, represented by the use of soft hammerstones in hand axe production made of chipped stone, bone, antler, or wood. The Acheulian dates from the Riss glaciation
(in Africa) the period represented by every stage of hand axe development

adjective

of or relating to this period

Word Origin for Acheulian

C20: after St Acheul, town in northern France
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for acheulian

Acheulian

Relating to a stage of tool culture of the Lower Paleolithic Period, dating from around 1.5 million to 150,000 years ago, characterized especially by flaked bifacial hand axes, cleavers, and other core tools. The earliest Acheulian tools have been found at African sites associated with Homo erectus fossils. Later examples have been found at numerous sites in the Middle East, Europe, and western and southern Asia.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.