neolithic

/ˌniəˈlɪθɪk/

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 If you want to scornfully refer to something as outdated or passé, you can also call it neolithic.

Definitions of neolithic

1. adjective

   of or relating to the most recent period of the Stone Age (following the mesolithic)
   “evidence of neolithic settlements”