australopithecine Hear it!

australopithecine Definition

aus·tra·lo·pith·ecine (ô strā′lō pit̸h′ə sīn′, -sēn′; ô′strə lō--)

adjective

of or relating to a genus (Australopithecus) of extinct hominids from E and S Africa that walked upright

Etymology: < ModL < L australis (see austral) + ModL -pithecus (see Pithecanthropus erectus)

noun

an australopithecine hominid

australopithecine Usage Examples

Modifies a noun

  • skull: Australopithecine skulls generally have cranial capacities close to 500cm 3.
  • ancestor: Several million years ago, our Australopithecine ancestors on the plains of East Africa had a struggle to survive.