English

Alternative forms

• australopithecine

Noun

Australopithecine ‎(plural Australopithecines)

1. (archaeology, anthropology, paleonotology) Any of several extinct anthropoid apes of the genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus

Adjective

Australopithecine ‎(not comparable)

1. (archaeology, anthropology, paleonotology) Of or pertaining to these animals or their fossils

Synonyms

• Australopith

See also

• pithecine , -pithecine

English

Alternative forms

• Australopithecine
• Australopithecus

Noun

australopithecine ‎(plural australopithecines)

1. (anthropology, paleonotology) Any of several extinct hominid primates, of the genus Australopithecus, from the Pleistocene period. [from 20th c.]
   • 2003, Bill Bryson, A Short History of Nearly Everything, BCA 2003, p. 391:

     Australopithecines came in several varieties, some slender and gracile, like Raymond Dart's Taung child, others more sturdy and robust, but all were capable of walking upright.

   • 2011, Chris Stringer, The Origin of Our Species, Penguin 2012, p. 151:

     Caspari and Lee carried out comparisons ranging from ancient hominins such as australopithecines through to Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons, assessing the ratios of young adults to old adults.

Translations

Adjective

australopithecine ‎(comparative more australopithecine, superlative most australopithecine)

1. (archaeology, anthropology, paleonotology) Of or pertaining to these creatures

Translations

Synonyms

• australopith