Meanings
homo sapiens1
plural homines sapientes
- A human being (Homo sapiens).
According to data from the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii, the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is over 415 parts per million (ppm), far higher than at any point in the last 800,000 years, since before the evolution of homo sapiens.
2019 May 13, James Griffiths, “There is more CO2 in the atmosphere today than any point since the evolution of humans”, in CNN1 more example
[…] let’s take a look at the scenery tell me what do you think when you see all this pile-up of people these multitudes of man this humongosity of humanity this superabundance of homo sapiens ah well what I see is we’re in the barrio poor folk’s part of town where you find the masses […]
1992, Miguel Méndez, “Ledras y latrillos/Bricks and Belles Ladders”, in Charles M. Tatum, editor, New Chicana/Chicano Writing, volume 2, Tucson, Ariz.: The University of Arizona Press, →ISBN, →ISSN, page 57
homo sapiens2
- pluralplural of homo sapien
Homo sapiens3
- pluralplural of Homo sapien.
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
homo sapiens · noun
- Latinhomō“human being”
- New Latinhomō sapiēns
- Englishhomo sapiens
Learned borrowing from New Latin homō sapiēns, from Latin homō (“human being”) + sapiēns (“wise, sensible, judicious”).
More words from New Latin, Latin
Full word history & related roots →homo sapiens · noun
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
homo sapiens. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/homo%20sapiens
“homo sapiens.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/homo%20sapiens. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “homo sapiens,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/homo%20sapiens.
Source: homo sapiens on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.