lithic

¹

[ lith-ik ]

adjective

1. pertaining to or consisting of stone.
2. Petrology. pertaining to clastic rocks, either sedimentary or volcanic, containing a large proportion of debris from previously formed rocks:

   a lithic sandstone; lithic tuff.

3. Pathology. pertaining to stony concretions, or calculi, formed within the body, especially in the bladder.
4. Chemistry. of, relating to, or containing lithium.

noun

1. Archaeology. a stone artifact.

-lithic

²

1. a combining form used in the names of cultural phases in archaeology characterized by the use of stone tools: Chalcolithic; Neolithic.
2. a combining form meaning “of or relating to stone,” used to form adjectives: megalithic; monolithic.

-lithic

¹

combining form

1. (in anthropology) relating to the use of stone implements in a specified cultural period

   Neolithic

lithic

²

/ ˈlɪθɪk /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or composed of stone
2. containing abundant fragments of previously formed rock

   a lithic sandstone

3. pathol of or relating to a calculus or calculi, esp one in the urinary bladder
4. of or containing lithium

Other Words From

• lithi·cal·ly adverb
• pre·lithic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of lithic¹

First recorded in 1790–1800, lithic is from the Greek word lithikós of stone. See lith-, -ic

Origin of lithic²

lithic

Word History and Origins

Origin of lithic¹

from Greek lithikos, from lithos stone

Origin of lithic²

C18: from Greek lithikos stony

Example Sentences

The other fire is covert, because it burns lithic landscapes.

From The Guardian

Modern societies are burning lithic landscapes - once-living biomass now fossilized into coal, gas and oil - which is aggravating the burning of living landscapes.

From Salon

"Society reorganized itself around fossil fuels, adapting to the combustion of lithic landscapes and ignoring the fire latent in living ones," he writes.

From Fox News

Of those five, officials said, one had a “lithic scatter” — remnants of stone tools and other culturally relevant artifacts.

From Seattle Times

"The trace fossil is associated with megafauna bones, plant material and unifacial lithic tools," the study's abstract adds.

From Fox News

Related Words

• craggy
• jagged
• rough