Prosimii
|pro-si-mi-i|
🇺🇸
/proʊˈsɪmi.aɪ/
🇬🇧
/prəˈsɪmi.aɪ/
pre-apes / before apes
Etymology
'Prosimii' originates from New Latin, specifically the word 'Prosimia', where 'pro-' meant 'before' and 'Simia' meant 'ape'.
'Prosimii' was formed in New Latin from Latin elements 'pro-' + 'Simia' and entered zoological usage in the 19th century to denote "pre-apes"; it was adopted in English scientific literature as the name for that grouping.
Initially, it meant 'pre-apes' or 'those before apes' in a morphological/taxonomic sense, but over time the term became an obsolete grouping as primate taxonomy was revised (split into Strepsirrhini and Haplorhini, etc.).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a historical taxonomic group (the prosimians) of primates traditionally including lemurs, lorises, and sometimes tarsiers; generally considered an obsolete grouping in modern primate classification.
Prosimii were once grouped separately from monkeys and apes in older zoological systems.
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Noun 2
(zoological, usage note) The term 'Prosimii' or its English equivalent 'prosimians' is sometimes used informally to refer collectively to primitive primates, but this usage is considered imprecise by modern taxonomists.
Many popular accounts still refer to lemurs and lorises as members of the Prosimii, despite taxonomic revisions.
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Last updated: 2025/10/11 12:16