Neanderthal people lived in Europe between 35,000 and 70,000 years ago.
Neanderthal man was able to kill woolly mammoths and bears.
...the late Neanderthal age.
You can refer to people from the Neanderthal period as Neanderthals.
The Neanderthals were very robust.
2. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
If you describe people's, especially men's, ideas or ways of behaving as Neanderthal, you disapprove of them because they are very old-fashioned and uncivilized.
[disapproval]
It is a peculiarity of modern sport that so many coaches persist in a Neanderthalapproach.
3. countable noun
If you call a man a neanderthal, you disapprove of him because you think he behaves in a very uncivilized way.
[disapproval]
In fact, many sympathized with me for having to put up with such a neanderthal ofa boss.
...drunken neanderthals.
Neanderthal in British English
(nɪˈændəˌtɑːl) sometimes not capital
adjective
1.
relating to or characteristic of Neanderthal man
2.
primitive; uncivilized
3. informal
ultraconservative; reactionary
noun
4. Also: neanderthaler
a person showing any such characteristics
Neanderthal in American English
(niˈændərˌθɔl; niˈændərˌtɑl)
adjective
1.
designating, of, or from a valley in the Rhine Province, Germany
2.
designating or of a widespread form of early human being (Homo sapiens neanderthalensis) of the Upper Pleistocene Epoch whose skeletal remains were first found in this valley
see also Mousterian
3.
a.
crude or primitive
b.
reactionary; regressive
noun
4.
a Neanderthal human being
5.
a crude, primitive, reactionary, etc. person
Often, for adj., 2 & n., 1, Neˈanderˌtal (niˈændərˌtɑl)
Word origin
Ger, lit., Neander valley (Ger thal, tal, valley, akin to dale): after Joachim Neander (1650-80), Ger hymn writer
Examples of 'Neanderthal' in a sentence
Neanderthal
We can discuss Neanderthal breakfast cereals in bed together.
Aldiss, Brian SOMEWHERE EAST OF LIFE
The man was squat, dark, Neanderthal, with black hair over the back of his hands.
Curzon, Clare THE QUEST FOR K
Richard returns the compliment by calling Dennis Neanderthal Man, and Dennis pretends not to understand what it means.
Val McDermid DEAD BEAT (2002)
She was more comfortable believing him to be a hopeless Neanderthal.