hominin

noun

hom·​i·​nin ˈhä-mə-nən How to pronounce hominin (audio)
-ˌnin
: any of a taxonomic tribe (Hominini) of hominids that includes recent humans together with extinct ancestral and related forms

Examples of hominin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Early hominins, our own relatives, may have once curled up and gone dormant for the winter. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 8 May 2026 And that sort of debate rises in intensity when the early hominins in question have brains as relatively small as Homo naledi’s, which is about the size of a chimpanzee’s. — ArsTechnica, 25 June 2026 Other hominins disappeared, with the exception of the remnants of Neanderthals found in our DNA. — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 14 June 2026 Cavities were rare among Neanderthals, but the scientists believe the molar reveals an ability by these hominins tens of thousands of years ago to execute a precise dental procedure. — Ari Daniel, NPR, 13 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for hominin

Word History

Etymology

New Latin Hominini, from Homin-, Homo + -ini, tribe suffix, from Latin -inus -ine entry 1

First Known Use

1989, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hominin was in 1989

Browse Nearby Words

hominid
hominin
hominism
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hominin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hominin. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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