noun
caveman
KAYV-man
Caveman (noun) means a prehistoric human popularly imagined as living in caves. Example: “The museum exhibit showed how cavemen made tools from stone.”
noun
1
A prehistoric human popularly imagined as living in caves.
"The political cartoon showed the politician as a caveman, clubbing the budget depicted as a mammoth."
"CAVEMAN DIET The creators of this nutrition plan believe that cavemen and cavewomen were lean and healthy because of the all-natural foods they ate."
— Harley Pasternak, The 5 Factor Diet (2006)
"The museum exhibit showed how cavemen made tools from stone."
2
Informally, someone seen as crude, old-fashioned, or unrefined in their attitudes.
"He still has caveman views about who should do the housework."
How to use caveman
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA prehistoric cave-dweller, or, informally, someone with crude or outdated attitudes.
Common pairings
caveman diet
act like a caveman
caveman mentality
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Word forms
- Plural
- cavemen
Fill the gap
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He still has _____ views about who should do the housework.
Etymology
From cave + man, based on the idea that early humans lived in caves.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for caveman
See all rhymes for caveman →Frequently asked questions
What does “caveman” mean?
The word “caveman” means a prehistoric human popularly imagined as living in caves. In plain terms, a prehistoric cave-dweller, or, informally, someone with crude or outdated attitudes.
How do you pronounce “caveman”?
“Caveman” is pronounced KAYV-man (/ˈkeɪvˌmæn/ in IPA).
How do you use “caveman” in a sentence?
Here is “caveman” used in a sentence: “He still has caveman views about who should do the housework.”
What is another word for “caveman”?
Words with a similar meaning to “caveman” include male chauvinist and Neanderthal.
What part of speech is “caveman”?
“Caveman” is a noun.
How many meanings does “caveman” have?
“Caveman” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a prehistoric human popularly imagined as living in caves.
