humanoid

American  

[hyoo-muh-noid, yoo-] / ˈhyu məˌnɔɪd, ˈyu- /

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

Nvidia’s robot push creates competition with Tesla, which is converting EV production to mass-produce its Optimus humanoid robot.

From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026

China produces over 80% of global humanoid robots; the U.S. expects domestic production to ramp up in the next 12 months.

From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026

OpenAI’s move into robotics directly challenges Tesla, which is converting production to humanoid robot lines.

From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026

Figure AI’s humanoid factory in San Jose has increased its manufacturing capacity to produce one Figure 03 robot an hour, with the goal of producing 12,000 a year.

From Los Angeles Times • May 31, 2026

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

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