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 (usually lowercase) belonging to or remaining from an earlier era; outdated; passé.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

Example Sentences

Wearing Celtic clothing and elaborate, nature-inspired headdresses, druids and pagans danced around the Neolithic stone circle in Wiltshire thought to have been built by distant ancestors to align with the movements of the Sun.

From BBC

The monoliths that form the basis of the wall are similar to - but predate - the famous menhirs that dot the Brittany countryside and are associated with the Neolithic culture.

From BBC

The discovery of a series of huge Neolithic pits have been confirmed at the Stonehenge World Heritage Site after initial research a few years ago.

From BBC

The dig team at the Ness, one of the most important Neolithic sites in the British Isles, are not revealing what they believe the find to be until more work is done.

From BBC

The Neolithic site, near Stornoway in Lewis, is open all year round and entry is currently free.

From BBC