Anthropology is the systematic study of humanity, with the goal of understanding our evolutionary origins, our distinctiveness as a species, and the great diversity in our forms of social existence across the world and through time. The focus of Anthropology is on understanding both our shared humanity and diversity, and engaging with diverse ways of being in the world. Show
Anthropology is divided into three subfields: sociocultural, biological, and archaeology. Sociocultural anthropologySociocultural anthropologists interpret the content of particular cultures, explain variation among cultures, and study processes of cultural change and social transformation. UC Davis sociocultural anthropologists conduct research on most areas of the world, focusing on topics that include: human ecology; gender relations; culture and ideology; demography and family systems; race, class and gender inequality; resistance movements; colonialism, neocolonialism, and development; and cultural politics in the West. Biological anthropologyBiological anthropologists study a variety of aspects of human evolutionary biology. Some examine fossils and apply their observations to understanding human evolution; others compare morphological, biochemical genetic, and physiological adaptations of living humans to their environments; still others observe behavior of human and nonhuman primates (monkeys and apes) to understand the roots of human behavior. ArchaeologyArchaeologists study the material remains of present and past cultural systems to understand the technical, social and political organization of those systems and the larger culture cultural evolutionary process that stand behind them. The UC Davis program in archaeology emphasizes research in California and the Great Basin, but also supports the study of hunter-gatherer systems in general, and is engaged in such research in Australia Alaska, Peru, Greenland, Western Europe, North and South Africa, and northern Asia.  1 : the science of human beings especially : the study of human beings and their ancestors through time and space and in relation to physical character, environmental and social relations, and culture 2 : theology dealing with the origin, nature, and destiny of human beings anthropological adjective Did you know?The word anthropology dates back to the late 16th century, but it was not until the 19th century that it was applied to the academic discipline that now bears its name. In the United States, this field of study is typically divided into four distinct branches: physical (or biological) anthropology, archaeology, cultural (or social) anthropology, and linguistic anthropology. Anthropology is from the New Latin word anthropologia (“the study of humanity”) and shares its ultimate root in Greek, anthrōpos (“human being”), with a number of other words in English, such as anthropomorphize, philanthropy, and misanthrope. Example SentencesRecent Examples on the Web But now Ryan, a professor of anthropology at the University of Chicago, was worried the time to put pen to paper would never come.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'anthropology.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback. Word HistoryEtymology borrowed from New Latin anthropologia "study of humanity, science of human nature," from anthropo- anthropo- + -logia -logy First Known Use 1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Time Traveler The first known use of anthropology was in 1593 Dictionary Entries Near anthropologyCite this Entry“Anthropology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anthropology. Accessed 16 Nov. 2022. ShareMore from Merriam-Webster on anthropologyLast Updated: 30 Oct 2022 - Updated example sentences Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free! Merriam-Webster unabridged What is the origin of cultural anthropology?Modern cultural anthropology has its origins in, and developed in reaction to, 19th-century "ethnology", the comparative study of cultures; it presents analytical generalizations about human culture.
What is the origin of social anthropology?The term social anthropology emerged in Britain in the early years of the 20th century and was used to describe a distinctive style of anthropology—comparative, fieldwork-based, and with strong intellectual links to the sociological ideas of Émile Durkheim and the group of French scholars associated with the journal L' ...
What is the main source of anthropology?Primary sources in anthropology can be defined as original, first-hand records of a particular culture, event, or time period. These first-hand records can be contrasted with secondary sources (including many academic articles and books), which provide analysis or interpretation of primary source materials.
What is anthropology in history?anthropology, “the science of humanity,” which studies human beings in aspects ranging from the biology and evolutionary history of Homo sapiens to the features of society and culture that decisively distinguish humans from other animal species.
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