Cro-Magnon

[kroh-mag-nuhn, -non, -man-yuhn]

noun

1. an Upper Paleolithic population of humans, regarded as the prototype of modern Homo sapiens in Europe. Skeletal remains found in an Aurignacian cave in southern France indicate that the Cro-Magnon had long heads, broad faces, and sunken eyes, and reached a height of approximately 5 feet 9 inches (175 centimeters).

2. a member of the Cro-Magnon population.

Cro-Magnon

1. An early form of modern human (Homo sapiens) inhabiting Europe in the late Paleolithic Period, from about 40,000 to 10,000 years ago, characterized by a broad face and tall stature. It is known from skeletal remains first found in the Cro-Magnon cave in southern France. Cro-Magnons coexisted with European Neanderthal populations for several thousand years, although there is little evidence of interbreeding.

2. See more at Aurignacian

Cro-Magnon

1. The earliest form of modern humans. The Cro-Magnons developed about 35,000 years ago and physically resembled modern Europeans. (See Homo sapiens.)

Cro-Magnon people painted the walls of their caves, producing some of the earliest known human art.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Cro-Magnon¹

First recorded in 1865–70; named after the cave (near Périgueux, France) where the first remains were found