troglodyte

[ trog-luh-dahyt ]

noun

1. a prehistoric cave dweller.
2. a person of degraded, primitive, or brutal character.
3. a person living in seclusion.
4. a person unacquainted with affairs of the world.
5. an animal living underground.

troglodyte

/ ˈtrɒɡləˌdaɪt; ˌtrɒɡləˈdɪtɪk /

noun

1. a cave dweller, esp one of the prehistoric peoples thought to have lived in caves
2. informal.
   a person who lives alone and appears eccentric

Derived Forms

• troglodytic, adjective

Other Words From

• trog·lo·dyt·ic [trog-l, uh, -, dit, -ik], troglo·dyti·cal adjective
• trog·lo·dyt·ism [trog, -l, uh, -dahy-tiz-, uh, m], noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of troglodyte¹

First recorded in 1545–55; from Latin trōglodyta, from Greek trōglodýtēs “one who creeps into holes, cave dweller,” equivalent to trōglo- (combining form of trṓglē “a hole formed by gnawing”; trogon ) + dý(ein) “to creep into” + -tēs agent suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of troglodyte¹

C16: via Latin from Greek trōglodutēs one who enters caves, from trōglē hole + duein to enter

Example Sentences

Students and administrators alike hate him, and the feeling is mutual; terms Hunham describes his overprivileged charges with range from “genuine troglodytes” to “snarling Visigoths.”

From Los Angeles Times

And a good thing too, since in Paul’s own estimation, Barton boys are, with rare exception, a hopeless bunch of “philistines,” “reprobates,” “troglodytes,” “degenerates,” “hormonal vulgarians,” “fetid layabouts” and “snarling Visigoths.”

From Los Angeles Times

It doesn’t mean all men are violent troglodytes, or that women don’t use guns, too.

From Seattle Times

I believe I once heard him utter the word troglodyte.

From Washington Times

It describes Trump and his raging troglodyte incompetents, who use social media to try and terrify us into the submission they could not achieve with traditional media.

From Salon