australopithecine

[aw-strey-loh-pith-uh-seen, -sahyn, -puh-thee-sin, -sahyn, aw-struh-] /ɔˌstreɪ loʊˈpɪθ əˌsin, -ˌsaɪn, -pəˈθi sɪn, -ˌsaɪn, ˌɔ strə-/
noun
1.
(sometimes initial capital letter) a member of the extinct genus Australopithecus.
adjective
2.
of, pertaining to, or resembling the genus Australopithecus or its members.
Origin
1935-40; Australopithec(us) + -ine1
Examples from the web for australopithecine
  • They were the remains, it seems, of an australopithecine meal of three-toed-horse steak and antelope tongue.
British Dictionary definitions for australopithecine

australopithecine

/ˌɒstrələʊˈpɪθɪˌsiːn/
noun
1.
any of various extinct apelike primates of the genus Australopithecus and related genera, remains of which have been discovered in southern and E Africa. Some species are estimated to be over 4.5 million years old See also zinjanthropus
adjective
2.
of or relating to any of these primates
Word Origin
C20: from New Latin Australopithecus, from Latin austrālis southern, austral1 + Greek pithēkos ape
australopithecine in Science
australopithecine
  (ô-strā'lō-pĭth'ĭ-sēn')   
Any of several early hominids of the genus Australopithecus of eastern and southern Africa, known from fossils dating from about 4 million to about 1 million years ago. The most complete australopithecine skeleton found so far, named Lucy by its discoverers, is estimated to be just over 3 million years old. While many scientists believe that australopithecines are ancestors of modern humans, not enough fossils have yet been found to establish any direct descent.