protohuman

From proto- +‎ human.

protohuman (comparative more protohuman, superlative most protohuman)

1. Pertaining to the first humans or the beginning of humankind.
   • 2003, Steven A. LeBlanc, Katherine E. Register, Constant Battles: The Myth of the Peaceful, Noble Savage, page 77:

     We each had limited knowledge of forager and protohuman warfare based on either ethnographic accounts or archaeological information, which forced both of us ...

   • 1981, Leslie A. Fiedler, Houston A. Baker, “English Literature”, in English Institute, page 140:

     Among the protohuman institutions that didn't exist, materially speaking, was the behavior pattern of storytelling.

protohuman (plural protohumans)

1. One of the earliest humans preceding Homo sapiens.
   • 2008 March 21, John Noble Wilford, “New Analysis Suggests Earlier Start for Upright Walking”, in New York Times‎:

     The research included an examination of the original fossils and a comparison with skeletons of modern humans and protohumans and also chimpanzees.