anthropology
/,ænθrə'pɔlədʤi/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- The scientific study of humanity: "Anthropology" is the social science that studies human beings, their biological evolution, physical characteristics, cultural development, and social relationships across time and space.
- The holistic study of human societies and cultures: It examines the full scope of human diversity, from ancient origins to contemporary societies, integrating insights from biological, archaeological, linguistic, and sociocultural perspectives.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- She decided to major in anthropology to better understand different cultural practices.
- Biological anthropology explores the evolution of the human species.
- His fieldwork in anthropology involved living with a remote community for two years.
Advanced Usage
- "the anthropology of...": used to specify a particular focus of anthropological study.
- Her research focuses on the anthropology of religion and ritual.
- "anthropological perspective": a viewpoint that considers cultural and social contexts.
- Viewing the conflict from an anthropological perspective reveals its deep historical roots.
Variants and Related Words
- Anthropological (adj): relating to anthropology.
- The museum has an impressive anthropological collection of artifacts.
- Anthropologist (n): a person who studies or is an expert in anthropology.
- The anthropologist published a groundbreaking study on kinship systems.
Synonyms
- Ethnology: (a subfield of anthropology) the comparative study of cultures.
- Human science: a broader term for academic disciplines that study human life and activities.
Related Phrases
- Cultural anthropology: the branch of anthropology focused on the study of cultural variation among humans.
- Cultural anthropology often involves participant observation.
- Physical anthropology: the branch of anthropology that studies the biological development of humans.
- Physical anthropology examines fossil records to trace human evolution.
Related Idioms
- To take an anthropological view: to look at a situation with a focus on cultural and social factors, often implying a detached, analytical stance.
- Instead of judging their customs, he tried to take an anthropological view.
Noun
- the social science that studies the origins and social relationships of human beings