Anthropology Practice Test 2025 – The Comprehensive All-in-One Guide for Exam Success

The term that encompasses all fossil or living members of the human and ape family is hominid. This classification includes the modern humans, our ancestors, and the great apes, which consist of orangutans, gorillas, bonobos, and chimpanzees. Hominids are characterized by certain morphological traits that are shared among these species, particularly related to bipedalism, brain size, and social behavior.

The other terms refer to more specific groups or classifications within the broader scope of primates. Hominin is a term that specifically refers to the lineage that includes modern humans and our closest extinct relatives after the split from the common ancestor we share with chimpanzees. Anthropoid is a classification that includes monkeys, apes, and humans, but it does not encompass all members of the hominid family. Primate is an even broader category that includes all primates, including lemurs and tarsiers, in addition to humans and apes, thus extending beyond the human and ape family specifically.