humanoid

1 of 2

adjective

hu·​man·​oid ˈhyü-mə-ˌnȯid How to pronounce humanoid (audio) ˈyü- How to pronounce humanoid (audio)
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Chang'e 8 is set to launch around 2028 and will test out in-situ resource utilization and could include a humanoid robot. Andrew Jones, Space.com, 7 Feb. 2025 Tesla plans to launch its robotaxi business in Austin in June and pilot production of its humanoid robot in 2025, the company says. Nathan Bomey, Axios, 31 Jan. 2025
Noun
The big picture: Tesla analysts are more focused on the company's future ambitions — including the development of its Optimus humanoid — than its past financial performance, according to Evercore ISI analyst Chris McNally. Nathan Bomey, Axios, 31 Jan. 2025 Rapid upgrades in speed and agility mean robot dogs can now sprint at near-Olympic pace, and humanoids are running smoothly over tough terrain. New Atlas, 19 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for humanoid 

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1918, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1870, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of humanoid was in 1870

Dictionary Entries Near humanoid

Cite this Entry

“Humanoid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humanoid. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

humanoid

adjective
hu·​man·​oid ˈhyü-mə-ˌnȯid How to pronounce humanoid (audio)
ˈyü-
: having human form or characteristics
humanoid noun

Medical Definition

humanoid

adjective
hu·​man·​oid ˈhyü-mə-ˌnȯid How to pronounce humanoid (audio) ˈyü- How to pronounce humanoid (audio)
: having human form or characteristics
humanoid dentition
humanoid noun

More from Merriam-Webster on humanoid

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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