anthropology
noun
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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.
Examples of anthropology in a Sentence
The Sorenson Impact Institute, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
This has received some criticism, for example from Matthew Wolf-Meyer, anthropology professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York State.
—Literary Hub, 12 June 2025
Especially one as large as the Met, where aesthetics and anthropology often go hand in hand?
—Hilton Als, New Yorker, 2 June 2025
That all changed last summer, when sheriff’s investigators contacted Dr. Jenifer Bengtson, a professor of anthropology at Southeast Missouri State University, to consult on the case.
—David Chiu, People.com, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for anthropology
Cite this Entry
“Anthropology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anthropology. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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