hu·man·oid
ˈhyü-mə-ˌnȯid 
ˈyü-
ˈyü-
: having human form or characteristics
humanoid dentition
humanoid robots
plural humanoids
: a humanoid being : a nonhuman creature or being with characteristics (such as the ability to walk upright) resembling those of a human
Why do people respond so strongly to penguins? First, they stand straight and walk upright, like us, so we see them as little humanoids—a convention of headwaiters, ten thousand nuns, plump babies in snowsuits.—
Diane Ackerman
Diane AckermanThose tales of the deep blended narratives of voyages of exploration … with fantastic additions drawn from an ancient repertoire of sea monsters and mutant humanoids.—Simon Schama
Simon Schama
Did you know?
A humanoid robot, sometimes called an android, is a robot that resembles a human. Accounts of the yeti, Sasquatch, and Bigfoot continue to fascinate us mainly because of their humanoid characteristics. The idea of creating a monstrous humanoid, such as the Jewish golem or Victor Frankenstein's creation, has intrigued us for centuries. "Humanoid Animation" is a standard for creating humanlike figures for video that lets the same figure be used in a variety of 3-D games—some of which have nothing but humanoids for characters.
Examples of humanoid in a Sentence
Adjective
The movie is about humanoid aliens invading Earth.
Recent Examples on the Web
Scott Feinberg, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
Some humanoid robots from these companies have already undergone unified coding and registration.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 15 May 2026
Vulture, 17 May 2026
Hirokazu Koreeda brings his customary warmth and generosity of spirit to the seemingly cold presence of GenAI in our lives in Sheep in the Box (Hako no naka no hitsuji), in which grieving parents hope to ease their pain by embracing a humanoid built in their dead son’s image.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for humanoid
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Adjective
Amidst this backdrop, Haruka Ayase and Daigo Yamamoto play a young couple mourning the recent death of their son, who brings a humanoid child robot into their home.
—Scott Feinberg, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
Some humanoid robots from these companies have already undergone unified coding and registration.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 15 May 2026
Noun
While eating at the company cafe after the presentation, Otone and Kensuke meet a child version of a humanoid who’s been brought back to REbirth HQ for maintenance.
—Vulture, 17 May 2026
Hirokazu Koreeda brings his customary warmth and generosity of spirit to the seemingly cold presence of GenAI in our lives in Sheep in the Box (Hako no naka no hitsuji), in which grieving parents hope to ease their pain by embracing a humanoid built in their dead son’s image.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for humanoid
Cite this Entry
“Humanoid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humanoid. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
humanoid
adjective
hu·man·oid
ˈhyü-mə-ˌnȯid
ˈyü-
: having human form or characteristics
humanoid
noun
Medical Definition
humanoid
adjective
hu·man·oid
ˈhyü-mə-ˌnȯid
ˈyü-
ˈyü-
: having human form or characteristics
humanoid dentition
humanoid
noun
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