Neanderthal

noun

Ne·​an·​der·​thal nē-ˈan-dər-ˌtȯl  -ˌthȯl 

nā-ˈän-dər-ˌtäl

plural Neanderthals

1

or less commonly Neandertal

nē-ˈan-dər-ˌtȯl 

nā-ˈän-dər-ˌtäl

or Neanderthal man or Neandertal man plural Neandertals or Neanderthal men or Neandertal men : a hominid (Homo neanderthalensis synonym H. sapiens neanderthalensis) known from skeletal remains in Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia that lived from about 30,000 to 200,000 years ago

2

: a person who suggests a caveman in appearance, mentality, or behavior

… heckled by a bunch of Neanderthals …

—Bonitta Best

But the man is also not a Neanderthal. His mother was an English teacher, and her son quotes Henry David Thoreau …

—Seth Emerson

Neanderthal adjective

or less commonly Neandertal

Neanderthaloid

nē-ˈan-dər-ˌtȯ-ˌlȯid

-ˌthȯ- 

nā-ˈän-dər-ˌtä-

adjective or noun

Synonyms

• clod
• clodhopper
• gawk
• hulk
• lout
• lubber
• lug
• lump
• oaf
• palooka

Examples of Neanderthal in a Sentence

I can't believe I was married to that Neanderthal for three years.

Some Neanderthals continue to resist the education reform bill.

Recent Examples on the Web

But, while this group of people also had Neanderthal ancestry, their population must have died out, because their DNA doesn’t appear to contribute to modern-day genomes. —Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Dec. 2024

Poetry for Neanderthals for $25: Every card has a word, and your seemingly simple task is to get your team to correctly guess it within the time limit by speaking in single syllables only. —Simon Hill, WIRED, 19 Dec. 2024

In a separate study, researchers tracked signs of Neanderthal in our genetic code over 50,000 years. —Adithi Ramakrishnan, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2024

Related article Scientists reveal the face of a Neanderthal who lived 75,000 years ago However, there is still much scientists don’t know. —Katie Hunt, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Neanderthal, valley in western Germany

First Known Use

1874, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

Neanderthal

noun

Ne·​an·​der·​thal nē-ˈan-dər-ˌthȯl  -ˌtȯl 

nā-ˈän-dər-ˌtäl

1

or Neandertal

-ˌtȯl 

-ˌtäl

: a primate mammal that belongs to the same family as human beings, lived from about 30,000 to 200,000 years ago, is known from skeletal remains in Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia, and is characterized especially by a stocky muscular build and prominent browridge

called also Neanderthal man

2

: one who suggests a caveman in appearance, behavior, or intelligence

Neanderthal adjective