hominid

1 of 2

noun

hom·​i·​nid ˈhä-mə-nəd 

-ˌnid

plural hominids

: any of a family (Hominidae) of erect bipedal primate mammals that includes recent humans together with extinct ancestral and related forms and the great apes

Earlier this year, a French team announced the discovery of fossil teeth and limb-bone fragments of a 6-million-year-old hominid …

—B. Bower

hominid

2 of 2

adjective

: of, relating to, or being a hominid

The discovery of a 3.5-million-year-old hominid skull and other fossil remains in northern Kenya is shaking the human family tree at its very roots.

—Michael Balter

Examples of hominid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The spacecraft named after that ancient hominid is also exploring fossils, in the sense that asteroids are leftovers from the dawn of the solar system and can tell us much about Earth's origin, just as Lucy the fossil can tell us about human evolution. —Keith Cooper, Space.com, 26 Feb. 2025

Although plenty of evidence shows that multiple hominids occupied Earth at the same time, the footprints provide the most conclusive signs of more than one hominid species sharing a habitat. —Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 28 Nov. 2024

Adjective

If the researchers can extend their findings to earlier spheroids found in Africa, from the Oldowan stone industry, then the balls could serve as some of the first evidence of hominid intelligence. —Matt Hrodey, Discover Magazine, 18 Sep. 2023

Generations that lived through the stark 117,000-year period helped to rebuild hominid populations in Europe and Asia to a relatively stable level of about 27,160 breeders. —Matt Hrodey, Discover Magazine, 6 Sep. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun

New Latin Hominidae, from Homin-, Homo + -idae

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1889, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1915, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

hominid

noun

hom·​i·​nid ˈhäm-ə-nəd 

-ˌnid

: any of a family of two-footed primate mammals that include the human beings together with their extinct ancestors and related forms

hominid adjective

Medical Definition

hominid

noun

hom·​i·​nid ˈhäm-ə-nəd, -ˌnid 

: any of a family (Hominidae) of erect, bipedal, primate mammals that includes recent humans together with extinct ancestral and related forms and the gorilla, chimpanzee, bonobo, and orangutan

hominid adjective