troglodyte
[ trog-luh-dahyt ]
/ ˈtrɒg ləˌdaɪt /
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noun
a prehistoric cave dweller.
a person of degraded, primitive, or brutal character.
a person living in seclusion.
a person unacquainted with affairs of the world.
an animal living underground.
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Origin of troglodyte
First recorded in 1545–55; from Latin trōglodyta, from Greek trōglodýtēs “one who creeps into holes, cave dweller,” equivalent to trōglo- (combining form of trṓglē “a hole formed by gnawing”; cf. trogon) + dý(ein) “to creep into” + -tēs agent suffix
OTHER WORDS FROM troglodyte
trog·lo·dyt·ic [trog-luh-dit-ik], /ˌtrɒg ləˈdɪt ɪk/, trog·lo·dyt·i·cal, adjectivetrog·lo·dyt·ism [trog-luh-dahy-tiz-uhm], /ˈtrɒg lə daɪˌtɪz əm/, nounDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use troglodyte in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for troglodyte
troglodyte
/ (ˈtrɒɡləˌdaɪt) /
noun
a cave dweller, esp one of the prehistoric peoples thought to have lived in caves
informal a person who lives alone and appears eccentric
Derived forms of troglodyte
troglodytic (ˌtrɒɡləˈdɪtɪk) or troglodytical, adjectiveWord Origin for troglodyte
C16: via Latin from Greek trōglodutēs one who enters caves, from trōglē hole + duein to enter
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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