Pa·le·o·lith·ic / ˌpālēəˈli[unvoicedth]ik/ • adj. Archaeol. of, relating to, or denoting the early phase of the Stone Age, lasting about 2.5 million years, when primitive stone implements were used. ∎  [as n.] (the Paleolithic) the Paleolithic period. Also called Old Stone Age.

Palaeolithic the early phase of the Stone Age, lasting about 2.5 million years, when primitive stone implements were used. The Palaeolithic period extends from the first appearance of artefacts to the end of the last ice age (about 8,500 years bc). The period has been divided into the Lower Palaeolithic, with the earliest forms of humankind and the emergence of hand-axe industries (ending about 120,000 years ago), the Middle Palaeolithic, the era of Neanderthal man (ending about 35,000 years ago), and the Upper Palaeolithic, during which only modern Homo sapiens is known to have existed.

Palaeolithic (Old Stone Age) Earliest stage of human history, from c.2 million years ago until between 40,000 and 10,000 years ago. It was marked by the use of stone tools. It covers human evolution from Homo habilis to Homo sapiens.

Palaeolithic The Old Stone Age, lasting in Europe from about 2.5 million to 9000 years ago, during which humans used primitive stone tools made by chipping stones and flints.