| Definitions | neanderthal
noun
- A specimen of the now extinct species Homo neanderthalensis.
- (pejorative) A primitive person.
Translations: - French: homme de Néandertal(fr)
- German: Neandertaler(de)m
(trans-mid)
(trans-bottom)
adjective
- Of or pertaining to Homines neanderthalenses.
- The capacity of the neanderthal skull was 10% larger than that of modern humans.
- Of or pertaining to the w:Neanderthal, Germany, Neander Valley in Germany.
Etymology: From the name of the German valley where w:Neanderthal 1, Neanderthal 1 was discovered in 1856. The Dísseltal (from w:Díssel, Díssel, a small tributary of the w:Rhine, River Rhine + tal, "valley") itself was renamed (from Das Gesteins ("The Rockiness") and/or Das Hundsklipp ("The Cliff of Dogs")) in the early 19th century to Neandershíhle ("Neander"s Hollow"), and again in 1850 to w:Neanderthal, Germany, Neanderthal ("Neander Valley"); both names were in honour of the German Calvinist theologian and hymn writer w:Joachim Neander, Joachim Neander (1650"1680). The surname Neander is the translation of the original surname Neumann ("New man"), for which reason Homo neanderthalensis is sometimes called New man in English.
| |
|
