‖ Xanthomelanoi, n. pl. Anthropology.
(zænθəʊˈmɛlənɔɪ)
[mod.L. (Huxley), transliteration (instead of the regular L. form *xanthomelanī) of an assumed Gr. *ξανθοµέλανοι, f. ξανθός yellow + µέλας, µελαν- black: cf. Melanoi and Xanthochroi. (On the analogy of the other terms, the word should have been Melanoxanthoi, the first element referring to the hair, the second to the skin.)]
In Huxley's classification of the varieties of mankind: A subdivision of the Leiotrichi or smooth-haired class, having black hair and yellow, brown, or olive complexion. Hence xanthoˈmelanous (-əs) a., belonging to or having the characters of the Xanthomelanoi.
| 1865 Huxley Crit. & Addr. (1873) 153 The ‘xanthomelanous,’ with black hair and yellow, brown, or olive skins. 1866 ― Laing's Preh. Rem. Caithn. 132 The Leiotrichi may be best subdivided, according to their complexion, into Xanthochroi, Melanochroi, Xanthomelanoi, and Melanoi. |