Neanderthal man

noun

1. a member of an extinct subspecies of powerful, physically robust humans, Homo sapiens neanderthalensis, that inhabited Europe and western and central Asia c100,000–40,000 b.c.

Neanderthal man

noun

1. a type of primitive man, Homo neanderthalensis, or H. sapiens neanderthalensis, occurring throughout much of Europe in late Palaeolithic times: it is thought that they did not interbreed with other early humans and are not the ancestors of modern humans

Word History and Origins

Origin of Neanderthal man¹

First recorded in 1860–65

Word History and Origins

Origin of Neanderthal man¹

C19: from the anthropological findings (1857) in the Neandertal, a valley near Düsseldorf, Germany

Example Sentences

One of its biggest eruptions took place 39,000 years ago and might have led to the extinction of Neanderthal man, researchers say.

From Reuters

It’s like you have Neanderthal man and Homo sapiens living together.

From Los Angeles Times

A smaller number of remains were found by chance in the Guattari Cave in 1939, making it "one of the most significant places in the world for the history of Neanderthal man", the ministry said.

From BBC

The larynx of Neanderthal man, like the larynx of those great orators the chimpanzees, sat higher than our own.

From New York Times

The scratches on this flake of flint may not look much but they were made with deliberation by a Neanderthal man or woman.

From Economist