Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Haeckel's hypothetical “ape-man,” a conjectured genus of mammals, based upon the Pithecanthropus, or primitive speechless man, supposed to have made his appearance toward the close of the Tertiary epoch, in what is usually called the human form, but destitute of the power of framing and using speech, as well as of the capacities accompanying that faculty. Haeckel uses the terms Alalus and Pithecanthropus interchangeably.

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Examples

  • I wondered if they were alalus, lacking vocal organs.

    Escape on Venus Burroughs, Edgar Rice, 1875-1950 1963

  • The tongue was low and liquid and entirely beautiful and enchanting, and she spoke, too, much with her eyes and with her graceful hands, as did her companions, for the tribe of Nu was not far removed from those earlier peoples, descended from the alalus who were speechless, and who preceded those who spoke, by signs.

    The Eternal Savage 1914

  • Archipithecus, Prothylobates, Pithecanthropus alalus, are pure inventions, not even the smallest bone belonging to them is known, in fact there is nothing to them but their imposing names.

    The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 11: New Mexico-Philip 1840-1916 1913

  • Starting with the ape the descent is continued as follows: Archipithecus, the primeval ape: Prothylobates, the primeval gibbon; Pithecanthropus alalus, the speechless man-ape;

    The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 11: New Mexico-Philip 1840-1916 1913

  • "The Millennium must come," says Darwin (ii. 387), "before nations love each other:" I add that first Homo alalus seu Pithecanthropus must become Homo

    Arabian nights. English Anonymous 1855

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