humanoid

1 of 2

adjective

hu·​man·​oid ˈhyü-mə-ˌnȯid  ˈyü- 

: having human form or characteristics

humanoid dentition

humanoid robots

humanoid

2 of 2

noun

plural humanoids

: a humanoid being : a nonhuman creature or being with characteristics (such as the ability to walk upright) resembling those of a human

Why do people respond so strongly to penguins? First, they stand straight and walk upright, like us, so we see them as little humanoids—a convention of headwaiters, ten thousand nuns, plump babies in snowsuits.

—Diane Ackerman

Those tales of the deep blended narratives of voyages of exploration … with fantastic additions drawn from an ancient repertoire of sea monsters and mutant humanoids.

—Simon Schama

Did you know?

A humanoid robot, sometimes called an android, is a robot that resembles a human. Accounts of the yeti, Sasquatch, and Bigfoot continue to fascinate us mainly because of their humanoid characteristics. The idea of creating a monstrous humanoid, such as the Jewish golem or Victor Frankenstein's creation, has intrigued us for centuries. "Humanoid Animation" is a standard for creating humanlike figures for video that lets the same figure be used in a variety of 3-D games—some of which have nothing but humanoids for characters.

Examples of humanoid in a Sentence

Adjective

The movie is about humanoid aliens invading Earth.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The complexities of parental programming As more sophisticated humanoid robots begin to interact with our day-to-day lives, the questions remain: Can robots truly have human feelings? —Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 25 Sep. 2024

The technology could help develop lifelike humanoid biohybrid robots. —Mark Hanrahan, ABC News, 25 Sep. 2024

Noun

Johnson expects to produce hundreds of humanoids in 2025 at a facility in Salem, Ore., ramping up to thousands and eventually a maximum of 10,000 annually. —Jason Del Rey, Fortune, 26 Sep. 2024

Investors also submitted questions via Say Technologies about Tesla’s progress developing humanoid robotics that the company aims to put to work in its factories. —Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 22 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1918, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1870, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

humanoid

adjective

hu·​man·​oid ˈhyü-mə-ˌnȯid 

ˈyü-

: having human form or characteristics

humanoid noun

Medical Definition

humanoid

adjective

hu·​man·​oid ˈhyü-mə-ˌnȯid  ˈyü- 

: having human form or characteristics

humanoid dentition

humanoid noun