mesolithic
mesolithic Lexical Profile
mesolithic Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Relating to or denoting the middle period of the Stone Age, occurring between the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods and characterized by the use of small, chipped stone tools.
"Excavators uncovered a collection of Mesolithic flint tools scattered near the ancient riverbed."
• noun
An archaeological and cultural period of the Stone Age that bridges the transition from nomadic hunter-gatherer societies to early settled farming.
"The shift toward more diverse foraging and fishing techniques became prominent during the Mesolithic."
Word Nuance & Usage
In archaeology, 'Mesolithic' is generally applied to post-glacial Europe and parts of Asia, whereas 'Epipaleolithic' is often the preferred term for corresponding periods in the Levant and Near East.
• Rhymes for mesolithic
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in 1865 by English polymath John Lubbock from the Greek 'mesos' (middle) and 'lithos' (stone), appended with the English suffix '-ic'.