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# neanderthal

noun (a Neanderthal, Neanderthals); adjective (Neanderthal)

«neanderthal» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A Neanderthal was a kind of early human who lived in Europe and western Asia from about 400,000 to about 40,000 years ago and then died out. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/neanderthal/#m1)
2. (informal, rude) Calling someone a neanderthal means they are rough, rude or old-fashioned in their ideas. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/neanderthal/#m2)

### In the lessons

In history and science lessons about the Stone Age, Neanderthals made stone tools, used fire, wore clothes, buried their dead and maybe made art; many people today carry a little Neanderthal DNA. The old idea that they were stupid brutes is a myth. In stories and insults, «neanderthal» unfairly means boorish. Common phrases: «Neanderthal man», «Neanderthal tools», «Neanderthal DNA».

### Examples

- Neanderthals lived during the Ice Age. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/neanderthal/#x1)
- Neanderthals made sharp stone tools. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/neanderthal/#x2)
- Scientists found Neanderthal bones in a cave in Germany. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/neanderthal/#x3)
- Some of our DNA comes from Neanderthals. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/neanderthal/#x4)
- Neanderthals had big, strong bodies for the cold. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/neanderthal/#x5)
- «Don't be such a neanderthal!» she said when he burped at the table. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/neanderthal/#x6)
- Neanderthals and modern humans lived at the same time for thousands of years. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/neanderthal/#x7)

### Note

Usually written with a capital N for the early humans. Say nee-AN-der-tahl (also -thal). Named after the Neander Valley in Germany, where bones were found. Myth: Neanderthals were not simple cavemen who grunted — they were clever and skilled.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «neanderthal» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/neanderthal/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«neanderthal» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/neanderthal.html) on Mova free.