anthropoid: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Technical / Academic / Formal
Quick answer
What does “anthropoid” mean?
Resembling a human.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Resembling a human.
1. An ape that is morphologically similar to humans, such as a chimpanzee, gorilla, or orangutan. 2. A humanoid or manlike creature.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or spelling.
Connotations
Same technical/academic connotation in both varieties.
Frequency
Very low frequency in general usage; slightly more likely to be encountered in British academic texts due to historical primatology work (e.g., Darwin).
Grammar
How to Use “anthropoid” in a Sentence
ADJ + N (anthropoid features)N of N (an anthropoid of the Miocene)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “anthropoid” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [No standard verb form]
American English
- [No standard verb form]
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverb form]
American English
- [No standard adverb form]
adjective
British English
- The creature had a distinctly anthropoid posture.
American English
- Researchers discovered anthropoid fossils in the cave.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Common in biological anthropology, palaeontology, primatology.
Everyday
Extremely rare; might be used in science documentaries or novels.
Technical
Precise zoological classification.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “anthropoid”
- Using 'anthropoid' to mean 'anthropologist'.
- Overusing in casual contexts where 'human-like' or 'ape-like' would suffice.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is primarily an adjective (meaning 'human-like'), but it is also a noun in zoology for apes resembling humans.
Yes, technically you can if it has a human-like form, though 'humanoid' is far more common in robotics and sci-fi.
'Anthropoid' refers to physical resemblance to humans. 'Anthropomorphic' means attributing human characteristics (like emotions or intentions) to non-human things.
Yes, it can be dehumanising as it compares a person to an ape, reducing them to a physical form and ignoring human complexity.
Resembling a human.
Anthropoid is usually technical / academic / formal in register.
Anthropoid: in British English it is pronounced /ˈænθrəpɔɪd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈænθrəˌpɔɪd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms for this technical term]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'ANTHROPO' (human) + 'OID' (resembling) = resembling a human.
Conceptual Metaphor
HUMAN FORM IS THE REFERENCE POINT FOR ANTHROPOID (e.g., 'the statue had an anthropoid shape').
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'anthropoid' most precisely used?