Paranthropus

American  

[puh-ran-thruh-puhs, par-uhn-throh-puhs] / pəˈræn θrə pəs, ˌpær ənˈθroʊ pəs /

noun

1. an extinct genus of bipedal hominins with massive chewing muscles, large teeth, and thick dental enamel: it may have descended from Australopithecus in Africa about 2.7 million years ago.

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Etymology

Origin of Paranthropus

First recorded in 1935–40; from New Latin: literally “beside man, near man”; equivalent to Greek para- “beside, near” + Greek ánthrōpos “human being”; see para-

Example Sentences

Some scientists proposed that Paranthropus was limited by a highly specialized diet, while others suggested it may have failed to compete with the more flexible Homo.

From Science Daily • Jan. 23, 2026

For nearly 100 years, scientists have been intrigued by the fossils of Paranthropus robustus, a sturdy, distant cousin of early humans.

From Science Daily • Nov. 1, 2025

“If Homo erectus ate considerably more animal foods than Paranthropus boisei, that alone would guarantee rather different niches,” Sponheimer told Salon in a phone interview.

From Salon • Nov. 29, 2024

Hominins belonging to the species Homo erectus and Paranthropus boisei, the two most common living human species of the Pleistocene Epoch, made the tracks, the researchers said.

From Science Daily • Nov. 28, 2024

The prints may offer new clues about Paranthropus’s stature and the shape of its hips and knees, and help illuminate how Paranthropus and Homo managed to coexist, he says.

From Science Magazine • Nov. 27, 2024