bipedalism
noun
bi·ped·al·ism
(ˌ)bī-ˈpe-dᵊl-ˌi-zəm 
: the condition of having two feet or of using only two feet for locomotion
Examples of bipedalism in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There was debate as to which came first: upright walking or higher cognition, with the dominant view being that the evolution of the human brain preceded the development of bipedalism.
—
Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
The loss has long been associated with our transition to bipedalism, but little was known about the genetic factors that triggered primate taillessness.
—Mindy Weisberger, CNN, 23 Mar. 2024
But scientists have long debated the extent of her bipedalism.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 13 June 2023
Humanity’s early ancestors started dabbling with bipedalism — walking on two legs — as much as 6 to 7 million years ago.
—Stephen C. George, Discover Magazine, 29 Nov. 2023
One of the most obvious adaptations that separates humans from our close genetic relatives is bipedalism.
—Conor Feehly, Discover Magazine, 11 Oct. 2023
Kevin Hunt, a professor of anthropology at Indiana University who studies human evolution, believes bipedalism likely evolved gradually, over a million years or so.
—Jeff Goodell, Time, 6 July 2023
In our human ancestors, the evolution of the sweat gland is even more complex than the evolution of bipedalism.
—Jeff Goodell, Time, 6 July 2023
The ability to move around on two legs, known as bipedalism, is a defining feature of modern humans.
—Han Yu, WSJ, 2 June 2023
Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
The loss has long been associated with our transition to bipedalism, but little was known about the genetic factors that triggered primate taillessness.
—Mindy Weisberger, CNN, 23 Mar. 2024
But scientists have long debated the extent of her bipedalism.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 13 June 2023
Humanity’s early ancestors started dabbling with bipedalism — walking on two legs — as much as 6 to 7 million years ago.
—Stephen C. George, Discover Magazine, 29 Nov. 2023
One of the most obvious adaptations that separates humans from our close genetic relatives is bipedalism.
—Conor Feehly, Discover Magazine, 11 Oct. 2023
Kevin Hunt, a professor of anthropology at Indiana University who studies human evolution, believes bipedalism likely evolved gradually, over a million years or so.
—Jeff Goodell, Time, 6 July 2023
In our human ancestors, the evolution of the sweat gland is even more complex than the evolution of bipedalism.
—Jeff Goodell, Time, 6 July 2023
The ability to move around on two legs, known as bipedalism, is a defining feature of modern humans.
—Han Yu, WSJ, 2 June 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bipedalism.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1847, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near bipedalism
Cite this Entry
“Bipedalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bipedalism. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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More from Merriam-Webster on bipedalism
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bipedalism
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