anthropology

From New Latin anthropologia, from anthropo- (from Ancient Greek ἄνθρωπος (ánthrōpos, “man, mankind, human, humanity”)) + -logy (from Ancient Greek -λογία (-logía)).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌænθɹəˈpɒlədʒi/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌænθɹəˈpɑːlədʒi/

• Audio (US)

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• Rhymes: -ɒlədʒi

anthropology (uncountable)

1. The holistic scientific and social study of humanity, mainly using ethnography as its method.

   According to anthropology, there are six basic patterns of kinship terminology (i.e., "kin naming systems"): Sudanese, Hawaiian, Eskimo, Crow, Omaha, and Iroquois.

• Anthropology is distinguished from other social science disciplines by its emphasis on in-depth examination of context, cross-cultural comparisons, and the importance it places on long-term, experiential immersion in the area of research.

• See also Thesaurus:anthropology

• archaeology
• paleontology
• sociology

• anthropology in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• anthropology in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• "anthropology" in Raymond Williams, Keywords (revised), 1983, Fontana Press, page 31.