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 (usually lowercase) belonging to or remaining from an earlier era; outdated; passé.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 If you want to scornfully refer to something as outdated or passé, you can also call it neolithic.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

See Examples For:

Neolithic

The remains were uncovered in Stora Förvar cave, an archaeological site on Stora Karlsö that was heavily used by seal hunters and fishers during the Neolithic and Bronze Ages.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 5, 2026

The Neolithic burial mound Arthur's Stone is on the hill above the village.

From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026

We analysed the genomes of Neolithic human remains excavated along the River Meuse in Belgium, dating to around 5,000 years ago.

From Science Daily ● May 30, 2026

“Land” regains traction when it returns to Ireland and to its mythic theme, which meanders from the Neolithic era to the 20th century, with detours to more fantastical regions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026

We know all this from the tangible remains of Neolithic settlements that have been uncovered by excavation.

From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson