Australopithecus

American  

[aw-stray-loh-pith-i-kuhs, -puh-thee-kuhs, aw-struh-loh-] / ɔˌstreɪ loʊˈpɪθ ɪ kəs, -pəˈθi kəs, ˌɔ strə loʊ- /

noun

1. an extinct genus of small-brained, large-toothed bipedal hominins that lived in Africa between one and four million years ago: the genus Homo, to which modern humans belong, is believed to have evolved from this genus or to have shared a common ancestor.

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Australopithecus Cultural  

1. An extinct genus of the hominid family that lived in Africa from about three to one million years ago. The name means “southern ape.”

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Members of this genus were the ancestors of modern humans. One of the best-known fossils, Lucy, was a member of this genus.

Etymology

Origin of Australopithecus

First recorded in 1920–25; from New Latin: literally “southern ape,” equivalent to austrāl(is) “southern” + -o- connecting vowel + pithēcus “ape,” from Greek píthēkos. See austral ¹, -o-,

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Australopithecus

Human evolution is often depicted as a relatively simple sequence of distinct species, beginning with ape-like ancestors, continuing through Australopithecus and early members of Homo, and eventually leading to Homo Sapiens living today.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026

"Expanding the Homo genus to also include species of Australopithecus and Paranthropus will allow us to account for differences without regularly reclassifying particular groups."

From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026

The 2025 study adds another layer to that story by describing teeth from both Homo and an unidentified species of Australopithecus.

From Science Daily ● May 16, 2026

It also noted that as many as four hominin lineages may have lived in eastern Africa between 3.0 and 2.5 million years ago: early Homo, Paranthropus, A. garhi, and the Ledi Geraru Australopithecus.

From Science Daily ● May 16, 2026

Those protohumans are generally known as Australopithecus africanus, Homo habilis, and Homo erectus, which apparently evolved into each other in that sequence.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

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