hominin

American  

[hom-uh-nin] / ˈhɒm ə nɪn /

noun

Anthropology, Zoology.

1. any member of the group consisting of all modern and extinct humans and their immediate ancestors, specifically members of the tribe Hominini.

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Etymology

Origin of hominin

First recorded in 1985–90; from New Latin Hominīnī, equivalent to Latin homin- (stem of homō ) “human being, man” + -īnī (plural of the adjective suffix -īnus indicating origin or affiliation); see origin at Homo ( def. ), -ine ¹ ( def. ) )

Compare meaning

How does hominin compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• hominin vs. hominid

Example Sentences

These conditions ultimately led researchers to the hominin remains and the geological context that makes the current study possible.

From Science Daily • Feb. 7, 2026

The hominin fossils were deposited during this narrow window, a conclusion further supported by animal remains found at the site.

From Science Daily • Feb. 7, 2026

Prior to that, she was a paleoanthropology researcher and received a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship in 2016 for work focused on hominin bipedalism.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 3, 2026

This record aligns with increasing evidence that hominin diversity in China was growing during this period.

From Science Daily • Jan. 31, 2026

"This fossil remains one of the most important discoveries in the hominin record and its true identity is key to understanding our evolutionary past," Dr. Martin said.

From Science Daily • Jan. 5, 2026