Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- An order of Mammalia named by Blumenbach in 1791, including all kinds of apes, monkeys, and lemurs; the quadrumanous mammals: so called because their hind as well as fore feet can be used as hands.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun plural (Zoöl.) A division of the Primates comprising the apes and monkeys; -- so called because the hind foot is usually prehensile, and the great toe opposable somewhat like a thumb. Formerly the
Quadrumana were considered an order distinct from the Bimana, which last included man alone.
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word quadrumana.
Examples
-
For instance, if it be true among mammalia that the highest types, such as quadrumana, are essentially tropical, may it not be that the prevailing distribution of the inferior pachyderms within the same geographical limits is owing to the circumstance that their type was introduced upon earth during a warmer period in the history of our globe, and that their present location is in accordance with that fact, rather than related to their degree of organization?
Louis Agassiz His Life and Correspondence Agassiz, Louis 1885
-
For instance, if it be true among mammalia that the highest types, such as quadrumana, are essentially tropical, may it not be that the prevailing distribution of the inferior pachyderms within the same geographical limits is owing to the circumstance that their type was introduced upon earth during a warmer period in the history of our globe, and that their present location is in accordance with that fact, rather than related to their degree of organization?
Louis Agassiz: His Life and Correspondence Louis Agassiz 1840
-
These early drifts we conjecture and know must have occurred, just as we know that the first upright-walking brutes were descended from some kin of the quadrumana through having developed "a pair of great toes out of two opposable thumbs."
THE HUMAN DRIFT 2010
-
During the worst weather, several jaguars and troops of quadrumana ventured to the edge of the plateau, and it was always to be feared that the most active and audacious would, urged by hunger, manage to cross the stream, which besides, when frozen, offered them an easy passage.
-
There was no one in the rooms nor in the storehouse, which had been respected by the band of quadrumana.
-
It was well worth while, besides, to turn Prospect Heights into a kitchen-garden, defended by its deep belt of creeks, and to remove them to the meadows, which had no need of protection against the depredations of quadrumana and quadrapeds.
-
Cyrus Harding now imparted to his companions a scheme for completely isolating Prospect Heights so as to shelter it from the attacks both of quadrupeds and quadrumana.
-
This monkey, which was of a large size, evidently belonged to the first order of the quadrumana.
-
He filled it himself, lighted it with a glowing coal, and appeared to be the happiest of quadrumana.
-
The quadrumana gave no sign of existence, and it might have been supposed that they had disappeared; but what seemed more probable was that, terrified by the death of one of their companions, and frightened by the noise of the firearms, they had retreated to the back part of the house or probably even into the store-room.
Comments
Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.