humanoid

American  

[hyoo-muh-noid, yoo-] / ˈhju məˌnɔɪd, ˈju- /

adjective

1. having human characteristics or form; resembling human beings.

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noun

1. a humanoid being.

   to search for humanoids in outer space.

humanoid British  

/ ˈhjuːməˌnɔɪd /

adjective

1. like a human being in appearance

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noun

1. a being with human rather than anthropoid characteristics

2. (in science fiction) a robot or creature resembling a human being

Etymology

Origin of humanoid

First recorded in 1915–20; human + -oid

Explanation

Something that's humanoid looks or acts like a real, live human being — but it's not. A humanoid robot is one that's designed to resemble a person. Anthropologists coined the word humanoid in the 19th century, adding the suffix -oid, or "like," to human. Scientists once used it to talk about humanlike traits in non-human organisms, but today it nearly always describes an automaton or robot. In the Star Wars universe, droids like C-3PO are humanoid, while R2-D2, who doesn’t have arms and legs or a recognizable face, is not.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

humanoid

A full-sized humanoid bot called the All-New Futurist starts at $89,900, and a miniature humanoid robot called Master starts at $37,990.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026

Expertise in AI chips, sensors, motors and control systems could create new opportunities as humanoid robots and other physical AI applications move toward broader adoption, it says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk offered big predictions for AI and humanoid robots while warning of a “crisis of power.”

From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026

Valued at more than $6.3 billion, the unit will start mass producing XPeng’s humanoid robot this year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026

They weren’t slender and delicate, and they weren’t humanoid at all.

From "Landscape with Invisible Hand" by M.T. Anderson