Homo erectus*: Meaning and Definition of

Ho•mo e•rec•tus

Pronunciation: (hō'mō i-rek'tus), [key]
  1. an extinct species of the human lineage, formerly known as Pithecanthropus erectus, having upright stature and a well-evolved postcranial skeleton, but with a smallish brain, low forehead, and protruding face. See illus. under
  2. a fossil belonging to this species. Cf. Arago man, Java man, Peking man.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.