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.
Even within the hominid group, human skulls evolved at a distinctly faster rate than those of other species.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 29, 2025
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
It is also unclear what species of ancient human - or hominid - built it.
From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2023
Dr. Pobiner, an authority on cut marks, had spied the half-tibia fossil six summers ago while examining hominid bones housed in a Nairobi museum vault.
From New York Times ● Jul. 1, 2023
At various times and places, as Homo Sapiens absorbed other hominid strains, differences within Homo Sapiens developed.
From The Black Experience in America by Coombs, Norman
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.
