Humans
Humans (Homo sapiens)
Humans (Latin: Homo sapiens) are the only extant members of the subtribe Hominina. They are characterized by erect posture and bipedal locomotion, complex and diverse methods of communication, and a high level of tool use relative to other animals.
Pronunciation
- /ˈhjuːmən/
Etymology
The word "human" is from the Latin hūmānus, the adjectival form of homo meaning "man". The Latin homo itself is thought to derive from a Proto-Indo-European root '*dhǵʰm̥mōn', meaning "earthling" or "ground-dweller".
Definition
Humans are defined as the species Homo sapiens, which evolved from earlier species of Hominids such as Homo habilis and Homo erectus. Humans are distinguished from other primates by their bipedal locomotion, and notably their higher mental faculties, which allows for the creation and use of complex tools, symbolic behavior (such as language), and social learning.
Related Terms
- Hominids: The family of primates that includes humans and their fossil ancestors.
- Homo habilis: An extinct species of the genus Homo, considered an ancestor of the modern human species.
- Homo erectus: An extinct species of archaic humans who lived throughout most of the Pleistocene geological epoch.
- Bipedalism: The basic adaptation of the hominin line, and it is considered the main cause behind a suite of skeletal changes shared by all bipedal hominins.
- Primate: A group of mammals that contains humans, apes, monkeys, and prosimians like lemurs.
- Proto-Indo-European: The linguistic reconstruction of the common ancestor of the Indo-European languages.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Humans
- Wikipedia's article - Humans
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