Definition of the word caveman

The term "caveman" originated in the late 19th century as a colloquialism to describe early human ancestors, particularly those from the Paleolithic era. The term is often attributed to Sir John Evans, a British archaeologist who used it in 1864 to describe the early human remains found at Carpenter's Tor in England. The term was later popularized by Gustaf Kossinna, a German archaeologist, who used it in his 1902 book "Die Deutsche Vorgeschichte" (German Prehistory). The term "caveman" is a literal translation of the German word "Höhlenmensch," which means "cave man." It was initially meant to describe the people who lived in caves during the Paleolithic era, around 40,000 to 10,000 years ago. Over time, the term has been used more broadly to refer to early human ancestors in general, often with connotations of primitiveness and simplicity.