cave man: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Informal, often humorous or derogatory
Quick answer
What does “cave man” mean?
A prehistoric human or human-like species who lived in caves.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A prehistoric human or human-like species who lived in caves.
A man with primitive, crude, or boorish behavior; a stereotypical unenlightened male, often used humorously or pejoratively.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: 'caveman' (single word) is more common in both varieties, but 'cave man' is an accepted variant. No significant meaning difference.
Connotations
Both share the same core and extended meanings. Possibly slightly more prevalent in US pop culture references.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in informal contexts in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “cave man” in a Sentence
act like a + cave manhave the mentality of a + cave manbe a + cave man (about sth)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cave man” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He tends to cave man his way through disagreements.
American English
- Don't just caveman the controls, be gentle with them.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except metaphorically: 'His management style is pure caveman - all intimidation and no finesse.'
Academic
Used in anthropology/archaeology ('Early cave men used simple tools'), otherwise rare and potentially seen as outdated/unscientific ('hominin' is preferred).
Everyday
Common in informal speech to criticise crude male behaviour: 'He just grunts at me - a real caveman.'
Technical
An outdated term in palaeoanthropology; specific species names (Homo neanderthalensis, Homo erectus) or 'early human', 'Palaeolithic human' are preferred.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cave man”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cave man”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cave man”
- Using it as a scientifically accurate term in formal writing. Confusing it with 'cave dweller' (which can refer to any person living in a cave, historically or presently).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Both 'caveman' (one word) and 'cave man' (two words) are accepted, but 'caveman' is far more common in modern usage.
It can be, as it implies they are brutish, unsophisticated, and sexist. It is a derogatory term when used about a person's behavior. It is less offensive when used in obvious humour or historical contexts.
No, it is considered an outdated and imprecise pop-culture term. Scientists use specific species names (Neanderthal, Homo sapiens) or broader terms like 'early humans' or 'hominins'.
'Neanderthal' refers to a specific extinct human species (Homo neanderthalensis). 'Caveman' is a non-scientific, broad-brush term that could refer to Neanderthals or early modern humans, and is more often used metaphorically.
A prehistoric human or human-like species who lived in caves.
Cave man is usually informal, often humorous or derogatory in register.
Cave man: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkeɪvˌmæn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkeɪvˌmæn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “caveman mentality”
- “drag her back to his cave”
- “stop acting like a caveman”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a man living in a CAVE, using a big club, and grunting. This picture captures both the literal and the metaphorical 'uncivilized' meaning.
Conceptual Metaphor
UNCIVILIZED/NON-ADVANCED BEHAVIOR IS PRIMITIVE/CAVEMAN-LIKE
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the term 'caveman' be considered MOST appropriate?