Pliopithecus

noun

Plio·​pithe·​cus
ˌplīōpə̇ˈthēkəs,
-ōˈpithə̇kəs
: a genus of anthropoids found in the Upper Miocene and Lower Pliocene strata of Europe and possibly Asia having a very similar dentition to and commonly held to be ancestral to the gibbons

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from pleio- + -pithecus

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Pliopithecus was in 1857

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near Pliopithecus

Pliohippus

Pliopithecus

pliosaur

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Pliopithecus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Pliopithecus. Accessed 20 Mar. 2023.

Copy Citation

Share

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of kith

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Challenging Standardized Test Words, Vol. 2

  • a pencil broken in half on top of a test answer sheet
  • The business’s new computer system proved not to be a panacea.
True or False

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can with using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?

PLAY
Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games