anthropology
noun
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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
Cheyanne Mumphrey, Fortune, 22 Feb. 2026
Long was testifying before the House Government, Labor and Elections Committee (GLE) as sponsor of House Bill 552, which calls for a forensic anthropology and archaeological investigation of the site to discover if there may be more unmarked graves.
—William J. Ford, Baltimore Sun, 21 Feb. 2026
Tomancik majored in history and minored in military history, and Helm is an anthropology major.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Feb. 2026
This is not true — Mamdani's father is Mahmood Mamdani, an anthropology professor at Columbia University.
—CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for anthropology
Cite this Entry
“Anthropology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anthropology. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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anthropology
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