1. plural of hominian; members of the family Hominidae, which includes humans and great apes (gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans, and bonobos)
Usage: scientific/anthropological term; also called hominids in older usage
2. members of the subfamily Homininae, a more restricted group within Hominidae that includes humans and African great apes
Usage: technical anthropological usage; narrower classification than hominids

Examples

• Hominians share a common ancestor that lived millions of years ago.
• The fossil record provides evidence of how hominians evolved over time.
• Modern hominians include humans, chimpanzees, and gorillas.
• Scientists study the behavior of living hominians to understand human evolution.
• The divergence of hominians from other primates occurred during the Miocene epoch.