English Reference
noun

homo

n.
US /ˈhoʊmoʊ/ UK /hˈəʊməʊ/ ho·mo

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Science

    the scientific name for the group that includes modern humans and their extinct relatives.

    the biological genus of hominids which includes modern humans (Homo sapiens) and several extinct species.

    Simple

    Scientists study the evolution of the genus Homo to understand where we came from.

    In context

    The fossil record provides evidence of several distinct species within the genus Homo that coexisted in Africa millions of years ago.

    Usage

    Always capitalized when referring to the biological genus.

This “super archaic” lineage appears to have split from modern humans far earlier, suggesting it came from Homo erectus or another human ancestor.

Ars Technica· 31 Jul 2026

Archaeologists have uncovered crystals at numerous sites containing Homo remains, suggesting that early human relatives deliberately collected these unusual stones as far back as 780,000 years ago.

ScienceDaily· 15 Jul 2026
This entry
Level C2 · Proficiency
Frequency Frequent
Updated