Paranthropus robustus

American  

[puh-ran-thruh-puhs roh-buhs-tuhs, par-uhn-throh-puhs] / pəˈræn θrə pəs roʊˈbʌs təs, ˌpær ənˈθroʊ pəs /

noun

1. an extinct species of large-toothed bipedal hominin, formerly named Australopithecus robustus, that lived in southern Africa about 1.5–2 million years ago.

2. a fossil belonging to this species.

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Etymology

Origin of Paranthropus robustus

First recorded in 1935–40; from New Latin; Paranthropus ( def. ) + Latin rōbustus “oaken, hard, firm, strong”; see origin at robust

Example Sentences

For now, the Paranthropus robustus mystery has grown deeper, more intricate, and infinitely more fascinating.

From Science Daily • Nov. 1, 2025

These fossils came from two other hominin species: the large-toothed Paranthropus robustus and the much more humanlike H. erectus.

From Scientific American • Nov. 5, 2022

Paranthropus includes Paranthropus robustus of South Africa, and Paranthropus aethiopicus and Paranthropus boisei of East Africa.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2015

Unlike Darwin, the hall reminds us, we know that there have been multiple human species, including Homo floresiensis, Homo neanderthalensis, Homo heidelbergensis, Homo erectus, Paranthropus boisei, Paranthropus robustus, Australopithecus afarensis and Sahelanthropus tchadensis.

From New York Times • Mar. 18, 2010

Australopithecus africanus, Paranthropus robustus, Paranthropus boisei -- all flourished in Africa.

From Time Magazine Archive