neanderthal
neanderthal Lexical Profile
neanderthal Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Relating to or characteristic of the extinct archaic human species Homo neanderthalensis or its Paleolithic culture.
"The museum unveiled a detailed reconstruction of a Neanderthal campsite complete with flint tools and hearth remains."
Uncivilized, primitive, or fiercely reactionary in attitude, behavior, or intellect.
"The committee rejected his Neanderthal views on workplace equality and modernized the company policies."
• noun
An extinct species or subspecies of archaic human (Homo neanderthalensis) in the hominid family that inhabited Eurasia during the Pleistocene epoch until about 40,000 years ago, characterized by astocky build, prominent brow ridges, and a large cranial capacity.
"Recent genetic sequencing reveals that modern humans outside of Africa still carry a small percentage of DNA inherited from interbreeding with Neanderthals."
An uncouth, rude, or slow-witted person, or someone holding outdated and reactionary views.
"She refused to argue with the loudmouthed neanderthal who kept interrupting the lecture."
Word Nuance & Usage
Both 'Neanderthal' and 'Neandertal' are accepted spellings in anthropological literature, reflecting a 1901 German spelling reform that changed 'Thal' (valley) to 'Tal', while pronunciation varies between a hard /t/ and a dental /θ/.
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the 1860s from the Neander Valley (German 'Neanderthal', now spelled 'Neandertal') near Düsseldorf, Germany, where fossilized remains were first discovered in 1856; the valley itself was named after the 17th-century German theologian and hymn writer Joachim Neander.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.