humanoid
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
noun
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a being with human rather than anthropoid characteristics
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(in science fiction) a robot or creature resembling a human being
Etymology
Origin of humanoid
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.
Vocabulary lists containing humanoid
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.
“It also allows us to set the bar” for how to judge humanoid companies in an industry known for “hyperbole,” Diez added.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 5, 2026
The robotics supply chain is set to benefit ahead of scaled deployment of humanoid robots, Morgan Stanley says in a research note.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
For Musk, the merger supports his vision of a world full of autonomous cars, humanoid robots and weekly rocket launches, as well as the data centers and satellites required to keep the whole thing running.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026
Besides robotaxi and AI, Tesla is heavily investing in Musk's "Optimus" humanoid robots as well as the buildout jointly with SpaceX of a large chip factory in Austin.
From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2026
He was humanoid, but his skin reminded me of a meat loaf sandwich that had been in someone’s locker all year.
From "The Last Olympian" by Rick Riordan
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
