1. early hominid species that existed before modern humans evolved
Usage: anthropology; paleontology

Examples

• Scientists discovered fossils of prehumans in the African Rift Valley.
• The prehumans used simple stone tools for hunting and gathering.
• Australopithecus is considered one of the most important prehumans in human evolution.
• Archaeological evidence shows that prehumans lived in small groups.
• The brain size of prehumans was significantly smaller than that of modern humans.
• Prehumans gradually developed bipedalism over millions of years.