hominid
Americannoun
noun
adjective
Etymology
Origin of hominid
1885–90; < New Latin Hominidae, equivalent to Latin homin- (stem of homō ) “human being, man” ( see Homo) + -idae ( def. )
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Explanation
Hominids are the group of primates that includes humans, gorillas, and chimpanzees, among others. You are a person, but you can also call yourself a hominid. The word hominid originally referred only to humans, and its Latin root reflects that: homo, or "man." Today scientists use it to talk about any of the great apes (including humans). Things all hominids have in common include the absence of a tail, a gestation of 8 or 9 months before birth, offspring that's born helpless, and in most cases, a preference for fruit (although some hominids are omnivorous).
Vocabulary lists containing hominid
The Stone Age - Middle School and High School
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Chapter 1
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Content Summary 1.1: Human Adaptation and Migration in the Paleolithic World
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"I'm reminded of the famous 'Lucy' fossil, one of our hominid ancestors that lived 3 million years ago and was one of the key 'missing links' between apes and humans," he said.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 31, 2026
Our hominid ancestors were much smaller than we were and were easily preyed upon by big cats and big birds.
From Salon ● Dec. 9, 2024
"But it could be a different species - Homo erectus or Homo naledi - there were a number of hominid species around at that time in southern Africa."
From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2023
A recent study offered the “oldest decisive evidence” that our ancient hominid ancestors ate one another.
From New York Times ● Jul. 5, 2023
Some zoological concepts applied to problems in evolution of the hominid lineage.
From Speciation and Evolution of the Pygmy Mice, Genus Baiomys by Robert L. Packard
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
