| Definition | of a robot or alien that is of human form |
| OED requirements | antedating 1944 |
| Earliest cite | Isaac Asimov 'Evidence' |
| Comment | The OED has cites for "humanoid" as an adjective with the sense "distinguished from anthropoid as being more human in character" back to 1918. The first cite as a term in sf is from 1952.
Rick Hauptmann submitted a cite from the 1965 first edition of Poul Anderson's "Agent of the Terran Empire". |
| Last modified | 3 June, 2009 |
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| 1940 Astounding Sci. Fiction Sept. 130/1 | And I hope these learned gentlemen still react in a vaguely Humanoid way. |
| 1953 A. Norton Star Rangers xv. 195 | But that is a humanoid characteristic, I believe. |
| 1953 J. W. Campbell Black Star Passes 165 | Taj Lamor was not human. Though he was humanoid, Earth had never seen creatures just like him. |
| 1954 C. Oliver Field Expedient in W. F. Nolan Edge of Forever (1971) 141 | The ship carried two pilots, a navigator, a doctor, fifty babies, twenty-five special humanoid robots, computers, and supplies. |
| 1968 G. Coon Arena in J. Blish Star Trek 2 (1968) 2 | At the same time a humanoid voice, strong and yet somehow youthful, shook the air of the bridge. |
| 1970 J. Blish Spock must Die! iii. 16 | He‥personally know Ayelborne, Claymare and Trefayne—or at least knows the humanoid shapes they assume. |
| 1971 W. F. Nolan Edge of Forever 25 | In the novel Chad's hero runs into humanoid aliens during his fishing jaunt in Colorado, and agrees to help them find a way back to their home planet. |
| 1972 J. Blish Star Trek 8 1 | Instruments indicate a transferal beam emanating from the humanoid life form. |
| 1979 B. A. Freitas, Jr. Illegal Aliens in O. Davis Omni Bk. of Space 301 | A humanoid figure appears in shadowy silhouette. |
| 1980 D. Brin Sundiver i.iii. 30 | It was humanoid, standing at least two meters tall. |
| 1989 J. M. Dillard Lost Years xv. 299 | She was humanoid. |
| 1990 J. Tiptree, Jr. Color of Neanderthal Eyes 2 | His notes in the Ephemeris say that there are humanoid natives‥on the other side of the planet from me. |
| 1994 D. Spencer Passing Fancy xii. 161 | Figure a humanoid body is, what, ninety percent water, something like that? |
| 1995 D. M. Flinn Fearful Summons 3 | Some of which have developed a fairly complex form of communication. But nothing humanoid. |
| 1997 J. Sherman & S. Shwartz Vulcan's Forge i. 2 | Obsidian's people‥were‥.Humanoid, with sharp features, dusky-olive skin. |
| 1998 G. Cox Assignment: Eternity Prologue 3 | Dozens of delegates, humanoid and otherwise, shouted and cried out as they fought each other to reach the exits. |