caveman
UK[ˈkeɪvmæn]US[ˈkeɪvmæn]
n
a prehistoric human who lived in caves, especially one of the early Stone Age.
n
(informal, derogatory) a man who is perceived as primitive, crude, or aggressive in behavior or attitudes.
Morpheme Breakdown
cave
man
cave
man
a human being, person; adult male
Etymology
the word 'caveman' is a transparent modern english compound, formed from two ancient roots. 'cave' traces back to the latin 'cavus,' meaning "hollow," which entered english via old french. 'man' originates from the proto-germanic 'mann-', meaning "person," and is one of the most fundamental words in the english lexicon. the compound first emerged in the mid-19th century, directly and literally describing early humans whose dwelling places were caves, as inferred from archaeological findings. its later, informal derogatory sense leverages this literal meaning metaphorically to imply a person with primitive, uncivilized, or brutish characteristics.
Analysis
Structure: cave + man
- cave (from latin 'cava' meaning "a hollow, a cave," via old french 'cave')
- man (from old english 'mann' meaning "a human being, person; adult male")
Examples
the museum exhibit showed how a caveman might have made tools from flint.
he was jokingly called a caveman for his reluctance to use modern technology.
the cartoon depicted a caveman discovering fire for the first time.