hominid

or hom·o·nid

[ hom-uh-nid ]
/ ˈhɒm ə nɪd /

noun Anthropology.

any member of the group consisting of all modern and extinct humans and great apes (including gorillas, chimpanzees, and orangutans) and all their immediate ancestors.

Origin of hominid

1885–90; < New Latin Hominidae, equivalent to Latin homin- (stem of homō) “human being, man” (see Homo) + -idae

Example sentences from the Web for hominids

British Dictionary definitions for hominids

hominid
/ (ˈhɒmɪnɪd) /

noun

any primate of the family Hominidae, which includes modern man (Homo sapiens) and the extinct precursors of man

adjective

of, relating to, or belonging to the Hominidae

Word Origin for hominid

C19: via New Latin from Latin homo man + -id ²

Scientific definitions for hominids

hominid
[ hŏmə-nĭd ]

Any of various primates of the family Hominidae, whose only living members are modern humans. Hominids are characterized by an upright gait, increased brain size and intelligence compared with other primates, a flattened face, and reduction in the size of the teeth and jaw. Besides the modern species Homo sapiens, hominids also include extinct species of Homo (such as H. erectus) and the extinct genus Australopithecus. In some classifications, the family Hominidae also includes the anthropoid apes.

Cultural definitions for hominids

hominids
[ (hom-uh-nidz) ]

The biological family that includes our species, Homo sapiens. This family has also included Neanderthals and other forerunners of today's humans, such as Australopithecus, Homo erectus, and Homo habilis. Today's human beings are the only surviving hominids.