Are the terms hominans and human synonymous?

Question

If not why not ? if they are why ? , they are both so confusing can someone please elaborate

Answer 1

Hominan isn't a word. You are probably looking for Hominid or Homininae. And no they are not synonymous. You can use the word hominid to describe a human and humans are the last remaining Homininae, but you cannot use human to describe all hominids nor do humans represent all Homininae.

Here are some Anthropological definitions for you.

Hominid:

The original meaning of Hominidae referred only to the modern meaning of Hominina, including only humans and their closest relatives. The meaning of the taxon changed gradually, leading to the modern meaning of "hominid" in which it includes all great apes.

Hominina (plural - Homininae):

The more anthropomorphic primates of the Hominini tribe are placed in the Hominina subtribe. They are characterized by the evolution of an increasingly erect bipedal locomotion. The only extant species is Homo sapiens. Fossil records indicate this subtribe branched from the common ancestor with the chimpanzee lineage about 3 to 5 million years ago.