humanoid

1 of 2

adjective

hu·​man·​oid ˈhyü-mə-ˌnȯid  ˈyü- 

: having human form or characteristics

humanoid dentition

humanoid robots

humanoid

2 of 2

noun

plural humanoids

: a humanoid being : a nonhuman creature or being with characteristics (such as the ability to walk upright) resembling those of a human

Why do people respond so strongly to penguins? First, they stand straight and walk upright, like us, so we see them as little humanoids—a convention of headwaiters, ten thousand nuns, plump babies in snowsuits.

—Diane Ackerman

Those tales of the deep blended narratives of voyages of exploration … with fantastic additions drawn from an ancient repertoire of sea monsters and mutant humanoids.

—Simon Schama

Did you know?

A humanoid robot, sometimes called an android, is a robot that resembles a human. Accounts of the yeti, Sasquatch, and Bigfoot continue to fascinate us mainly because of their humanoid characteristics. The idea of creating a monstrous humanoid, such as the Jewish golem or Victor Frankenstein's creation, has intrigued us for centuries. "Humanoid Animation" is a standard for creating humanlike figures for video that lets the same figure be used in a variety of 3-D games—some of which have nothing but humanoids for characters.

Examples of humanoid in a Sentence

Adjective

The movie is about humanoid aliens invading Earth.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

In 2013, Alphabet bought Boston Dynamics, known for its walking robots, and Schaft, a Japanese humanoid robotics company. —Jennifer Elias, CNBC, 28 Feb. 2026

Humanoid robots taking steps If Moxi highlights how robots are already entering the workforce, the next step is the development of humanoid robots able to do a range of more complex tasks. —Katherine Moynihan, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026

Noun

The Boss shows have been highly anticipated at Milan Fashion Week, also thanks to the buzzy setups, from the fall 2023 sci-fi office space filled with cubicles and the humanoid robot Sophia to the idyllic, soothing garden mounted inside the courtyard of the Palazzo del Senato for spring 2025. —Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 25 Feb. 2026

Chinese humanoids have also generated considerable hype through their tight choreography and impressive tricks, but analysts say the US still leads in technical sophistication and software. —J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 25 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1918, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1870, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for humanoid

• adenoid
• alkaloid
• amoeboid
• amyloid
• aneroid
• anthropoid
• arachnoid
• asteroid
• benzenoid
• carcinoid
• celluloid
• coronoid

Kids Definition

humanoid

adjective

hu·​man·​oid ˈhyü-mə-ˌnȯid 

ˈyü-

: having human form or characteristics

humanoid noun

Medical Definition

humanoid

adjective

hu·​man·​oid ˈhyü-mə-ˌnȯid  ˈyü- 

: having human form or characteristics

humanoid dentition

humanoid noun