australopithecine

[ aw-strey-loh-pith-uh-seen, -sahyn, -puh-thee-sin, -sahyn, aw-struh-loh- ]

noun

1. (sometimes initial capital letter) a member of the extinct genus Australopithecus.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or resembling the genus Australopithecus or its members.

australopithecine

/ ˌɒstrələʊˈpɪθɪˌsiːn /

noun

1. any of various extinct apelike primates of the genus Australopithecus and related genera, remains of which have been discovered in southern and E Africa. Some species are estimated to be over 4.5 million years old See also zinjanthropus

adjective

1. of or relating to any of these primates

australopithecine

/ ô-strā′lō-pĭth′ĭ-sēn′ /

1. Any of several early hominids of the genus Australopithecus of eastern and southern Africa, known from fossils dating from about 4 million to about 1 million years ago. The most complete australopithecine skeleton found so far, named Lucy by its discoverers, is estimated to be just over 3 million years old. While many scientists believe that australopithecines are ancestors of modern humans, not enough fossils have yet been found to establish any direct descent.

Word History and Origins

Origin of australopithecine¹

First recorded in 1935–40; Australopithec(us) + -ine ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of australopithecine¹

C20: from New Latin Australopithecus, from Latin austrālis southern, austral ¹+ Greek pithēkos ape

Example Sentences

In the course of this transition, body proportions changed: whereas australopithecines were short and stocky, Homo had a taller, slimmer build with more surface area.

From Scientific American

A few bits of jargon pop up, while other phrasing may be too informal; even allowing for some creative license, hearing an australopithecine complain that “yesterday was hell” may feel incongruous to some.

From New York Times

In the hominin fossil record, there’s a longstanding debate over what drove the increase in size of chewing anatomy over time, especially in the australopithecines and members of the genus Paranthropus.

From Salon

Over the past few decades, researchers have discovered dozens of fragments of australopithecine fossils in Ethiopia and Kenya that date back more than 4 million years.

From Nature

Still, not everyone is convinced it clarifies the relations of the australopithecines, a genus of upright apes that lived between 4.2 million and 2 million years ago throughout eastern and southern Africa.

From Science Magazine