Neanderthal
Pronunciation
“neanderthal†listed in the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (© Cambridge University Press 2009), IPA: /niËˈæn.dəˌθɑËl/Origin
From the name of the German valley where Neanderthal 1 was discovered in 1856. The Düsseltal (from German Düssel, a small tributary of the + tal ("valley")) itself was renamed (from Das Gesteins ("The Rockiness") and/or Das Hundsklipp ("The Cliff of Dogs")) in the early 19
th
century to Neandershöhle ("Neander’s Hollow"), and again in 1850 to Neanderthal ("Neander Valley"); both names were in honour of the German Calvinist theologian and hymn writer Joachim Neander (1650–1680). The surname Neander is a Romanisation of the translation of the original German surname Neumann ("New man"), for which reason Homo neanderthalensis is sometimes called New man in English.
Full definition of neanderthal
Adjective
neanderthal
- Primitive, old-fashioned, opposed to change (in allusion to the now extinct species Homo neanderthalensis).
Alternative forms
Noun
neanderthal
(plural neanderthals)- (pejorative) A primitive person or a person with old-fashioned ideas or who opposes change.
- (usually Neanderthal) A specimen of the now extinct species Homo neanderthalensis.