An early hominid known from fossil Pliocene remains found in Ethiopia.
At the time of its discovery, Australopithecus ramidus (later renamed Ardipithecus ramidus) was the oldest known species of the hominid lineage after its divergence from apes..
Origin
1990s; earliest use found in Time. From scientific Latin ramidus, specific name of the hominid originally called Australopithecus ramidus from Afar ramid root (alluding to this species being a potential ‘root’ species for the hominid lineage) + scientific Latin -us, after classical Latin masculine nouns in -us.