Neanderthal

noun

Ne·​an·​der·​thal nē-ˈan-dər-ˌtȯl  -ˌthȯl 

nā-ˈän-dər-ˌtäl

plural Neanderthals

1

or less commonly Neandertal

nē-ˈan-dər-ˌtȯl 

nā-ˈän-dər-ˌtäl

or Neanderthal man or Neandertal man plural Neandertals or Neanderthal men or Neandertal men : a hominid (Homo neanderthalensis synonym H. sapiens neanderthalensis) known from skeletal remains in Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia that lived from about 30,000 to 200,000 years ago

2

: a person who suggests a caveman in appearance, mentality, or behavior

… heckled by a bunch of Neanderthals …

—Bonitta Best

But the man is also not a Neanderthal. His mother was an English teacher, and her son quotes Henry David Thoreau …

—Seth Emerson

Neanderthal adjective

or less commonly Neandertal

Neanderthaloid

nē-ˈan-dər-ˌtȯ-ˌlȯid

-ˌthȯ- 

nā-ˈän-dər-ˌtä-

adjective or noun

Synonyms

• clod
• clodhopper
• gawk
• hulk
• lout
• lubber
• lug
• lump
• oaf
• palooka

Examples of Neanderthal in a Sentence

I can't believe I was married to that Neanderthal for three years.

Some Neanderthals continue to resist the education reform bill.

Recent Examples on the Web

This all led the scientists to concludes that the most important genetic risk factor for Dupuytren’s disease is the lingering role of Neanderthal ancestry. —Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 27 July 2023

At some point, a Neanderthal with a sharpened, wooden spear stepped forward to strike the fatal blow – or at least wound the lion severely. —Matt Hrodey, Discover Magazine, 2 Nov. 2023

Newsletter Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news Genetic variants inherited from Neanderthals make modern-day people more likely to suffer pain when poked with a stick, geneticists have found. —Matt Hrodey, Discover Magazine, 19 Oct. 2023

Bones of cave lions from thousands of years ago indicate that Neanderthals may have been capable of hunting the large predators, and that our relatives may have used the hides for cultural purposes. —Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Oct. 2023

Armed with these Neanderthal and Denisovan genomes, scientists could compare them to people today and look for chunks of DNA that match. —Maddie Burakoff, Fortune, 26 Sep. 2023

Yet Neanderthals living in warm, wet environs had tooth-wear patterns similar to those of agricultural peoples who eat lots of fibrous plants. —Manvir Singh, The New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2023

Published in Molecular Biology and Evolution by Oxford University Press, the new paper ties Dupuytren’s disease to Neanderthals through the use of data gathered from modern-day humans. —Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 27 July 2023

The Trouble with Ancient Art Most prehistoric paintings that have been attributed to Neanderthals haven’t offered such strong evidence of their origins. —Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 21 June 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Neanderthal, valley in western Germany

First Known Use

1874, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing Neanderthal

• Neanderthal man

• Neanderthal man

Kids Definition

Neanderthal

noun

Ne·​an·​der·​thal nē-ˈan-dər-ˌthȯl  -ˌtȯl 

nā-ˈän-dər-ˌtäl

1

or Neandertal

-ˌtȯl 

-ˌtäl

: a primate mammal that belongs to the same family as human beings, lived from about 30,000 to 200,000 years ago, is known from skeletal remains in Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia, and is characterized especially by a stocky muscular build and prominent browridge

called also Neanderthal man

2

: one who suggests a caveman in appearance, behavior, or intelligence

Neanderthal adjective