What does anthropology mean?
Anthropology is the scientific discipline devoted to the study of humankind in all its dimensions — biological, social, cultural, linguistic, and historical. It asks what it means to be human by examining everything from fossil evidence of early ancestors to the everyday practices of living communities. The field is conventionally divided into branches such as cultural (or social) anthropology, which explores beliefs, customs, and institutions; physical or biological anthropology, which investigates human evolution and variation; linguistic anthropology; and archaeology. Anthropologists frequently conduct ethnographic fieldwork, immersing themselves in communities to understand life from an insider's perspective. As an academic term, anthropology carries a formal register and appears mainly in universities, research, and serious journalism. Its value lies in its breadth: few words capture so ambitious a project as the systematic attempt to understand humanity as a whole.
nounThe scientific study of humanity, encompassing human biology, evolution, societies, cultures, and languages, both past and present.
- The holistic scientific study of human beings — their biology, evolution, societies, cultures, and languages — across time and space.
- A specific academic discipline or department devoted to this study (e.g. 'she studied anthropology at university').
"Her fieldwork in anthropology took her to remote villages across the Andes."
"Margaret Mead's groundbreaking work in anthropology reshaped how Westerners thought about adolescence and gender."
"He earned his degree in anthropology before joining a research team studying urban migration."
Rarely used; the plural may appear when referring to multiple distinct traditions or schools of anthropological thought, but in ordinary usage the noun is treated as uncountable.
"Comparative courses often contrast different national anthropologies and their intellectual traditions."
The word 'anthropology' literally means 'the study of man' — coined from Greek roots over two centuries ago, it now spans everything from fossil skulls to smartphone culture.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of anthropology
Anthropology derives from Greek roots: 'anthrōpos', meaning 'human being', combined with '-logia', meaning 'study' or 'discourse'. The word emerged in European scholarly writing during the Renaissance and became established in English by the early 17th century, though it only developed into a distinct academic discipline in the 19th century. It shares its Greek root with cognates such as anthropomorphic, anthropocentric, and anthropoid.
Related word forms
How anthropology is actually used
Anthropology is a formal, academic term; it typically appears in scholarly, educational, or journalistic contexts rather than casual conversation. In British usage, 'social anthropology' is a common subdiscipline label, while American usage more often distinguishes 'cultural anthropology'.
Easily confused with anthropology
Archaeology studies past human societies through material remains, while anthropology is the broader study of humans and can include living cultures as well as ancient ones.
Anthropology is the study of humans, whereas anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits or emotions to non-human entities such as animals or objects.