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

That isolation put Neanderthals at an evolutionary disadvantage and could have led to their demise. —Ashley Strickland, CNN, 14 Sep. 2024

In 2015, archaeologists discovered the remains of a Neanderthal in a cave in southern France. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Sep. 2024

The Naked Neanderthal Before joining Discover Magazine, Paul spent over 20 years as a science journalist, specializing in U.S. life science policy and global scientific career issues. —Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 11 Sep. 2024

Understanding that Neanderthal communities were potentially smaller and insular could be critical to understanding their extinction. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 11 Sep. 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