sapiens
Americanadjective
Etymology
Origin of sapiens
Borrowed into English from New Latin around 1935–40
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.
The study also explored genetic material inherited from Neanderthals and Denisovans, two ancient human groups that interbred with Homo sapiens tens of thousands of years ago.
From Science Daily • May 14, 2026
In recent decades, many biologists and anthropologists have come to view Homo sapiens as what’s called a “cooperative breeder.”
From Slate • May 10, 2026
The study, published in Nature in 2023, compared genetic material from present day African populations with fossil evidence from early Homo sapiens populations.
From Science Daily • Apr. 26, 2026
For many, human beings have self-consciousness and language, which elevates Homo sapiens.
From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026
In Homo sapiens, the brain accounts for about 2–3 per cent of total body weight, but it consumes 25 per cent of the body’s energy when the body is at rest.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
