anthropology
noun
Did you know?
The Origin of Anthropology
The word anthropology dates back to the late 16th century, but it was not until the 19th century that it was applied to the academic discipline that now bears its name. In the United States, this field of study is typically divided into four distinct branches: physical (or biological) anthropology, archaeology, cultural (or social) anthropology, and linguistic anthropology.
Anthropology is from the New Latin word anthropologia (“the study of humanity”) and shares its ultimate root in Greek, anthrōpos (“human being”), with a number of other words in English, such as anthropomorphize, philanthropy, and misanthrope.
Examples of anthropology in a Sentence
Scott White, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025
Starn is an anthropology professor at Duke University who began working undercover at RDU1 in 2023 to conduct research for a book on Amazon.
—Annie Palmer, CNBC, 14 Feb. 2025
Join 3 others in the comments View Comments The only way to prove Neanderthals lived in what’s now China is for paleontologists working there to find a Neanderthal fossil in China, said John Shea, a professor of anthropology at Stony Brook University in New York.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 1 Apr. 2025
Before joining the Discover team as an assistant editor in 2022, Sam studied journalism at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
human origins
fossils
archaeology
anthropology
1 free article left
Want More?
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anthropology
Cite this Entry
“Anthropology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anthropology. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
anthropology
noun
Medical Definition
anthropology
noun
Share