Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Australopithecus robustus

Australopithecus robustus

9.9
An extinct early human relative with large teeth that lived in southern Africa around two million years ago
  • noun
  • /ˌɔːstrəloʊˈpɪθɪkəs roʊˈbʌstəs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Australopithecus robustus
  • Fossils of Australopithecus robustus have been found at several sites in South Africa.

Examples

  • Researchers believe that Australopithecus robustus had powerful jaws adapted for chewing tough plant material.

  • The discovery of Australopithecus robustus contributed significantly to our understanding of human evolution.

  • The Australopithecus robustus lived in southern Africa.

  • Did the Australopithecus robustus have large teeth?

  • Fossils of Australopithecus robustus have been found at several sites in South Africa.

  • Researchers believe that Australopithecus robustus had powerful jaws adapted for chewing tough plant material.

  • The discovery of Australopithecus robustus contributed significantly to our understanding of human evolution.

Surface Forms

Australopithecus robustus singular
Australopithecus robusti plural

Morphology

Australopithecus + robustus

The name combines a recognized genus label (Australopithecus = extinct hominid genus) with a Latin adjective (robustus ≈ 'robust'), so in principle the meaning 'a robust Australopithecus species' is compositional. However, this is a technical scientific binomial in Latin; many B1 learners will not know the taxonomic convention or the Latin epithet, so the sense is only partially predictable.

Etymology

Australopithecus robustus is a scientific name made of two parts: Australopithecus meaning 'southern ape' and robustus meaning 'strong'. Fossils with big teeth and powerful jaws were found in southern Africa, so the name shows it was a heavily built, ape-like species that lived long ago.