anthropology

noun an·thro·pol·o·gy \ ˌan(t)-thrə-ˈpä-lə-jē \

|Updated on: 9 Aug 2018

Editor's Note: The Origin of anthropology

Definition of anthropology

1 : the science of human beings; especially : the study of human beings and their ancestors through time and space and in relation to physical character, environmental and social relations, and culture

2 : theology dealing with the origin, nature, and destiny of human beings

—

anthropological

play \-pə-ˈlä-ji-kəl\ adjective

—

anthropologically

play \-ji-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

—

anthropologist

play \ˌan(t)-thrə-ˈpä-lə-jist\ noun

See anthropology defined for English-language learners

See anthropology defined for kids

Recent Examples of anthropology from the Web

Tracy Kivell, a biological anthropology professor at Kent, said the team’s findings could explain why other primates are able to crack nuts without the benefit of a human-like hand.

— meilan solly, Smithsonian, "Did the Human Hand Evolve as a Lean Mean Bone-Smashing Machine?," 13 July 2018
Erin Kimmerle, a University of South Florida anthropology professor who worked with Straley to locate the remains of Dozier boys, said, though, that Straley's mission remains largely unfulfilled.

— carol marbin miller, miamiherald, "A victim of vile abuse at Florida reform school, he spent his life fighting for justice," 10 July 2018
Many of us felt this honor was long overdue, given his international prominence as a French intellectual whose works had crossed the boundaries of literature, history, psychology, sociology, anthropology and religion.

— marilyn yalom, WSJ, "‘Evolution of Desire’ Review: Who Was René Girard?," 1 June 2018
DiGangi, an assistant professor of anthropology at Binghampton University, also noted that the remains in question did not show injuries consistent with those sustained by Corbin during battle.

— cristina corbin, Fox News, "Where is Margaret Corbin? Hunt on for Revolutionary War hero's grave," 5 July 2018
One of her creations was the Smith Project on Women and Social Change, bringing together faculty members from areas ranging from anthropology to literature and economics.

— james r. hagerty, WSJ, "Jill Ker Conway Took on the Old Guard as the First Woman President of Smith College," 8 June 2018
The action also challenges the CIA’s denial of records relating to UCLA anthropology professor Philippe Bourgois, who survived a massacre allegedly led by Ochoa Pérez in 1981 in Santa Cruz, El Salvador.

— mike carter, The Seattle Times, "UW settles suit against CIA over data on Salvadoran Army officer," 30 May 2018
The lecture mixed neurological theory and armchair anthropology, and ranged over subjects including premonitions, telepathy, hypnotism, hallucinations, and epileptic and migrainous aura.

— katherine foxhall, Smithsonian, "No, Getting a Hole Drilled in Your Head Was Never a Migraine Cure," 6 Mar. 2018
The ship would have been around 100 feet long on the deck, according to John Bratten, the chair of the anthropology department at the university.

— sydney pereira, Newsweek, "Sunken Slave Ship Discovered Off Alabama Coast Was Likely Last to Bring Africans to U.S. Against Their Will," 24 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'anthropology.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The Origin of anthropology

The word anthropology dates back to the late 16th century, but it was not until the 19th century that it was applied to the academic discipline that now bears its name. In the United States, this field of study is typically divided into four distinct branches: physical (or biological) anthropology, archaeology, cultural (or social) anthropology, and linguistic anthropology.

Anthropology is from the New Latin word anthropologia (“the study of humanity”) and shares its ultimate root in Greek, anthrōpos (“human being”), with a number of other words in English, such as anthropomorphize, philanthropy, and misanthrope.

Origin and Etymology of anthropology

New Latin anthropologia, from anthrop- + -logia -logy

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1593

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Other Anthropology Terms

ectomorph, ethnography, prehistory, yurt

ANTHROPOLOGY Defined for English Language Learners

anthropology

noun

Definition of anthropology for English Language Learners

: the study of human races, origins, societies, and cultures

ANTHROPOLOGY Defined for Kids

anthropology

noun an·thro·pol·o·gy \ ˌan-thrə-ˈpä-lə-jē \

Definition of anthropology for Students

: a science that studies people and especially their history, development, distribution and culture

Medical Dictionary

anthropology

noun an·thro·pol·o·gy \ ˌan(t)-thrə-ˈpäl-ə-jē \

medical Definition of anthropology

plural anthropologies

: the science of humans; especially : the study of humans in relation to distribution, origin, classification, and relationship of races, physical character, environmental and social relations, and culture

—