Word
anthropology
Phoneticsan·thro·pol·o·gy
US/ˌænθɹəˈpɑɫədʒi/
UK/ˌænθɹəpˈɒlədʒi/
Definitions
01study of humans and culture
n. the study of humans, their origins, and the different ways people live in societies around the world.
n. the scientific and humanistic study of humanity, typically divided into cultural, linguistic, biological, and archaeological branches.
“She decided to study anthropology because she was fascinated by how different cultures celebrate weddings.”
“Cultural anthropology provides a framework for understanding how social structures and belief systems vary across different global communities.”
Academic
Usage
Often used as an uncountable noun when referring to the academic field.
Teaching tip
While it is a C1 word, it is essential for students entering university or reading academic texts about society.
Synonyms
02religious study of humanity
n. the study of what it means to be human in relation to God or a religion.
n. the study of the nature and condition of humanity within a theological or philosophical framework.
“The professor gave a lecture on Christian anthropology and the concept of the soul.”
“The seminar explored the nuances of theological anthropology, specifically focusing on the intersection of free will and divine grace.”
Academic · Formal · Technical
Usage
Usually requires a qualifying adjective like 'theological' or 'Christian' to distinguish it from the social science.
Teaching tip
This is a highly specialized sense; most learners will only encounter the social science definition.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“This is where archaeology and cultural anthropology become decisive again, because genes are not enough to reconstruct the social scene based on encounters between Neanderthals and Sapiens .” “But our new findings, published in the American Journal of Biological Anthropology , challenge this long-held idea about human evolution.” Etymology
From New Latin anthropologia, from Ancient Greek ἄνθρωπος (ánthrōpos, “human, mankind”) + -λογία (-logía). By surface analysis, anthropo- + -logy.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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englishreference.com/q/anthropology