Neanderthal
noun
Ne·an·der·thal
nē-ˈan-dər-ˌtȯl 
-ˌthȯl
-ˌthȯl
nā-ˈän-dər-ˌtäl
plural Neanderthals
1
or less commonly Neandertal
nē-ˈan-dər-ˌtȯl
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
nā-ˈän-dər-ˌtäl
2
: a person who suggests a caveman in appearance, mentality, or behavior
… heckled by a bunch of Neanderthals …—
Bonitta Best
Bonitta BestBut the man is also not a Neanderthal. His mother was an English teacher, and her son quotes Henry David Thoreau …—Seth Emerson
Seth Emerson
Neanderthal
adjective
or less commonly Neandertal
Synonyms
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
But the behavior may be older than civilization itself, with some studies suggesting Neanderthals swapped spit with modern humans—and shared each other’s oral microbes—more than 100,000 years ago.
—Byphie Jacobs, science.org, 28 Oct. 2024
Related article Comet likely last seen when Neanderthals walked Earth could soon dazzle in the night sky
There are two full moons remaining for 2024 — the beaver moon, which is also a supermoon, on November 15 and the cold moon on December 15, according to the Farmers’ Almanac.
—Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 20 Oct. 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for Neanderthal 
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Byphie Jacobs, science.org, 28 Oct. 2024
Related article Comet likely last seen when Neanderthals walked Earth could soon dazzle in the night sky
There are two full moons remaining for 2024 — the beaver moon, which is also a supermoon, on November 15 and the cold moon on December 15, according to the Farmers’ Almanac.
—Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 20 Oct. 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for Neanderthal
Articles Related to Neanderthal
Dictionary Entries Near Neanderthal
Cite this Entry
“Neanderthal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Neanderthal. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Neanderthal
noun
Ne·an·der·thal
nē-ˈan-dər-ˌthȯl
-ˌtȯl
-ˌtȯl
nā-ˈän-dər-ˌtäl
1
or Neandertal
-ˌtȯl
: 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
-ˌtäl
called also Neanderthal man
2
: one who suggests a caveman in appearance, behavior, or intelligence
Neanderthal
adjective
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