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Solo man

Solo man

9.9
An extinct early human known from fossils found in Java
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : hombre de Solo
  • The cranial features of Solo man show similarities to, but also differences from, Neanderthals.

Examples

  • Research on Solo man has contributed to debates about human evolution in Southeast Asia.

  • Scientists discovered the remains of a Solo man in Java.

  • Archaeologists discovered new fossils belonging to Solo man near the banks of the Solo River.

  • The Solo man lived during the late Pleistocene.

  • Archaeologists discovered new fossils belonging to Solo man near the banks of the Solo River.

  • Research on Solo man has contributed to debates about human evolution in Southeast Asia.

  • The cranial features of Solo man show similarities to, but also differences from, Neanderthals.

Synonyms

Homo soloensis
vsSolo man
  • Specialized
9.9

A type of early human that lived long ago in Java and is now extinct

is the common descriptive label stressing skull similarity and smaller brain size
Javanthropus
vsSolo man
  • Archaic
9.9

A former name used for Solo man, an ancient human

is the current species description used instead of the older genus label

Surface Forms

solo man singular
solo men plural

Morphology

Solo + man

This is a specialist proper-name term (likely referring to the Solo/Surakarta region or the Solo River) combined with 'man' to name an extinct hominin; the meaning 'an extinct hominin from the late Pleistocene' is not derivable from the constituents. A B1 learner who knows 'man' (and even 'solo' as 'alone' or as an unfamiliar proper noun) would not predict the technical paleoanthropological sense, so the expression is opaque.

Etymology

Solo man comes from the name of the Solo River in Java, where scientists found the first fossils of this early human. So Solo man means 'an ancient human' found near that river.