catarrhine

[ kat-uh-rahyn, ‐rin ]

adjective

1. belonging or pertaining to the subdivision of simians that comprises Old World monkeys and apes, including humans.

noun

1. a catarrhine animal.

catarrhine

/ ˈkætəˌraɪn /

adjective

1. (of apes and Old World monkeys) having the nostrils set close together and opening to the front of the face
2. Alsoleptorrhine (of humans) having a thin or narrow nose

noun

1. an animal or person with this characteristic

Word History and Origins

Origin of catarrhine¹

First recorded in 1860–65; from New Latin Catarrhīnī, plural of catarrhīnus, from Greek katárrhīn “hook-nosed,” equivalent to kata- “down” + -rhīn “-nosed,” adjective derivative of rhī́s “nose, snout”; cata-, rhino- ( def ); haplorhine ( def ), platyrrhine ( def ), strepsirrhine ( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of catarrhine¹

C19: from New Latin Catarrhina (for sense 1), all ultimately from Greek katarrhin having a hooked nose, from kata- down + rhis nose

Example Sentences

The platyrrhine and catarrhine monkeys have their primitive ancestor among extinct forms of the Lemuridae.

From Project Gutenberg

Man is descended directly from one series of extinct Catarrhine ancestors.

From Project Gutenberg

Catarrhine monkeys have existed, we know with certainty, since the Miocene.

From Project Gutenberg

As they belong to the Catarrhine group, their nose has a narrow partition between the nostrils, which are directed downwards.

From Project Gutenberg