anthropoid
UK: ˈanθrəpɔɪd | US: ˈænθrəˌpɔɪd
adj. resembling humans in form or characteristics (e.g., apes)
n. a primate of the group Anthropoidea, including monkeys, apes, and humans
The term anthropoid merges Greek roots to describe creatures that resemble humans, particularly primates. Anthrōpos reflects the ancient Greek focus on human identity, while -oid is a common suffix in scientific terminology to denote similarity. The word emerged in the 19th century to classify primates biologically close to humans.
Gorillas and chimpanzees are classified as anthropoid apes.
The fossil revealed an anthropoid skull with human-like features.
Scientists study anthropoid behavior to understand human evolution.
The robot's design was deliberately anthropoid to ease human interaction.
Not all primates are anthropoid; lemurs, for example, belong to a different group.