anthrop-, anthropo-, -anthrope, -anthropic, -anthropical, -anthropically, -anthropism, -anthropist, -anthropoid, -anthropus, -anthropy

(Greek: man, mankind; human beings; including, males (man, men; boy, boys) and females (woman, women; girl, girls); all members of the human race; people, humanity)

forensic anthropology (s) (noun), forensic anthropologies (pl)
The branch of physical studies of humans in which data, criteria, and techniques are used to determine the sex, age, genetic population, or parentage of skeletal or biological materials in questions of civil or criminal law: Forensic anthropology may also help determine the length of life, gender, stature, and unique features of the deceased people from their remains.
galeanthropy (s) (noun), galeanthropies (pl)
The mental perception that an individual has that he or she is a cat: Margaret's mother experienced galeanthropy from time to time because she often adapted feline mannerisms and habits.
hematological anthropology (s) (noun), hematological anthropologies (pl)
The study of the constituents of the blood with reference to the differential distribution of blood groups, hemoglobin types, and other variables among human populations.
hyppanthropy (s) (noun), hyppanthropies (pl)
A form of insanity in which a person believes himself or herself to be a horse.
linguistic anthropology (s) (noun), linguistic anthropologies (pl)
The recording and systematic analysis and comparisons from several points of view of the innumerable speech forms of peoples: The attention of linguistic anthropologies involves the analysis of the phonetic and grammatical structures of languages as they affect the thoughts and behaviours of cultural values.

The study of linguistic anthropology developed an interest in the relations between language and culture and in the role that language might play in the habitual actions or conduct toward each other.

lycanthrope (s) (noun), lycanthropes (pl)
1. According to some writers, it is a synonym of werewolf; one of those people who (according to medieval superstition) assumed the form of wolves: In folklore, a lycanthrope is the ability of a human to undergo transformation into a wolf.
2. Etymology: the term comes from ancient Greek lykánthropos; lýkos, "wolf" + ánthropos, "mankind, human".

Other applicable terms include: insania lupina; melancholia canina; melancholia zooanthropic.

lycanthropic (adjective), more lycanthropic, most lycanthropic
A reference to a form of madness, described by ancient writers: The lycanthropic person had the delusion that he or she was a wolf with correspondingly abnormal behavior.

There were those who thought that there could be a magical lycanthropic transformation of someone into a wolf.

lycanthropist (s) (noun), lycanthropists (pl)
Someone who is affected by the mental disease that involves thinking that he or she is a horse.
lycanthropy, lykanthropy (s) (noun); lycanthropies, lykanthropies
A kind of insanity described by ancient writers, in which the patient imagined himself or herself to be a wolf, and had the instincts and propensities of a wolf: Now lycanthropy is occasionally applied as a name of those forms of insanity in which patients imagine themselves to be beasts, and exhibit depraved appetites, alteration of voices, etc., in accordance with this delusion.

Lycanthropy was also the kind of witchcraft which made a person assume that he or she had the form and the nature of a wolf.

A lycanthrope is calling for guidance.

A lycanthrope is trying to get counseling during his monthly full-moon phase, but the service is busy.

"Thank you for calling the lycanthrope hot line. All of our operators are busy right now taking care of werewolves; so, if you will please hold, we'll get back to you as soon as possible."

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Lycanthropy, the changing of men into wolves has been found over the centuries in literature and folklore through out the world

The term, werewolf, comes from the Latin vir for "man", literally, "man-wolf"; in Russia, the oborol; in Portugal, the lobishomen; in France, the loup-garou; and in Scandinavia, the vagr.

In medieval days, suspected werewolves were sometimes flayed alive in the search for the dreaded wolf skin hidden beneath their human one. While other man-into-beast stories certainly exist, like the frenzied bear-shirters, or "berserkers", of Scandinavian origin, there are far more accounts of people being changed into wolves.

Lycanthropy is mentioned by Herodotus and Pliny, and there is even a section of the 11th-century treatise Decreta dealing with werewolves who seek absolution. King James VI of Scotland gave an unusually sensitive account of the warwoolfe in his Demonologie of 1597, calling it "a natural superabundance of melancholie."

meganthropus (s) (noun), meganthropi (pl)
The name given to a large-toothed hominid of the Djetis deposits of central Java, Indonesia, that have been related to the "Astralopithecines" or to Homo erectus or Homo habilis: The meganthropi are known only by mandible fragments.
misanthrope (MIS-uhn-throhp, MIZ-uhn-throhp) (s) (noun), misanthropes (pl)
1. Someone who has a hatred or distrust of all of mankind: After seeing terrible news on TV and reading the newspapers about the horrible wars in the world which never seem to end, it's no wonder that some people become misanthropes, giving up all hope and faith that the world will someday be peaceful again.
2. Anyone who avoids social contacts with people whenever possible: Irene was always a very shy person, even when she was a child; and as a grown-up, she had a tendency to be a misanthrope because she preferred being alone at home and not with other people.
3. Etymology: from Greek misanthropos, "hating mankind"; from misein, "to hate" + anthropos, "man".

A misanthrope is a person who always believes the worst about other people, at first, and never changes his or her mind.

Someone who has little faith in mankind, and even less in womankind.

—Based on quotes by
Evan Esar, Esar’s Comic Dictionary
A dislike or hatred of mankind in general.
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misanthropic (mis" uhn THROHP ik; miz" uhn THROHP ik) (adjective), more misanthropic, most misanthropic
1. Descriptive of a bitterness or contempt for humans in general: Gregory was a very misanthropic person who generally abhorred the behavior of people because not only were the topics on politics in the newspapers and on TV so distressful, but also the articles about so much crime in the city where he lived. 
2. Referring to avoiding the company of other people because of a strong preference to be alone and away from others: If anyone says something, or does anything, that is especially hostile or obviously untrue; this is probably coming from a misanthropic individual.

In Walden, the author, Henry David Thoreau, describes his misanthropic and solitary life in the woods, where he lived alone, at least a mile away from any neighbor and had a quiet and independent life.

misanthropical (adjective), more misanthropical, most misanthropical
1. A reference to having a hatred of people as a rule: Some children have had very disturbing experiences with their parents, not knowing when to trust them nor to believe what they have said, because their actions have often proven to be the opposite; so, it certainly wouldn’t be surprising if such young people decide to lead misanthropical lives.
2. Characterized by believing the worst about human nature and motives: As a misanthropical person, Burton usually stayed away from people as much as possible; so, he only left his apartment to go shopping for necessities very early in the morning and he earned a living by working with his computer at home instead of associating with others at a job site.
misanthropize (verb), misanthropizes; misanthropized; misanthropizing
To hate mankind or all human beings: When people misanthropize others, they can compensate for their solitary lives by getting a dog or cat as their companion, because no one else will want to associate with them.

misanthropy (mis AN thruh pee; miz AN thruh pee) (s) (noun), misanthropies (pl)
1. A disgusting feeling about all of mankind; or a profound morbid distrust of human beings, individually and collectively: Being informed daily by the media and seeing and hearing about the never-ending disasters and wars around the world, a sense of misanthropy has developed in some people, causing them to stay home and not to go traveling to other places anymore.
2. A pessimistic distrust of people in general which is expressed in thoughts and behavior: After being extremely disappointed by his school friends, when he was young; and his girlfriend, when she stole his money and went away with another guy, Martin developed a misanthropy and decided he would live by himself and not get involved with any further relationships.


—William Blake, 1757-1827

Links to other units that include the topic of "man", "mankind":
andro-; homo-; vir-.

Related "people, human" word units: demo-; ethno-; ochlo-; popu-; publi-.