lithic
1 Americanadjective
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pertaining to or consisting of stone.
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Petrology. pertaining to clastic rocks, either sedimentary or volcanic, containing a large proportion of debris from previously formed rocks.
a lithic sandstone; lithic tuff.
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Pathology. pertaining to stony concretions, or calculi, formed within the body, especially in the bladder.
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Chemistry. of, relating to, or containing lithium.
noun
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a combining form used in the names of cultural phases in archaeology characterized by the use of stone tools: Chalcolithic; Neolithic.
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a combining form meaning “of or relating to stone,” used to form adjectives: megalithic; monolithic.
adjective
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of, relating to, or composed of stone
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containing abundant fragments of previously formed rock
a lithic sandstone
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pathol of or relating to a calculus or calculi, esp one in the urinary bladder
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of or containing lithium
combining form
Usage
What does -lithic mean? The combining form -lithic is used like a suffix used to name cultural phases in archaeology characterized by the use of a particular type of tool. Essentially, it is used in the names of eras of human history. It is most often used in archaeological and anthropological terms. The form -lithic comes from Greek lithikós, meaning “of stone.”Corresponding forms of -lithic combined to the beginning of words are litho- and -lith. Learn more at our Words That Use articles for these forms.
Other Word Forms
- lithically adverb
- prelithic adjective
Etymology
Origin of lithic1
First recorded in 1790–1800, lithic is from the Greek word lithikós of stone. See lith-, -ic
Origin of -lithic2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The other burns lithic landscapes, which is to say, biomass buried and turned to stone in the geologic past.
From Slate • May 16, 2016
The terms quartz wacke, lithic wacke, and feldspathic wacke are used.
From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015
His research interests include archaeological methods, lithic analysis, and the origins of modern culture.
From Science Magazine • Oct. 24, 2012
All of her ash was lithic, old stony stuff created from her own edifice.
From Scientific American • Jul. 7, 2012
After uric acid there came for a time the theory of an excess of lithic acid, the so-called lithemia or American disease of a few years ago.
From Psychotherapy by Walsh, James J. (James Joseph)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
