a type of prehistoric human being that was believed to exist in ancient times. Piltdown man was ‘discovered’ when some bones were found in 1912 on Piltdown Common in southern England. It was later proved to be a trick, perhaps meant as a joke, when scientific tests showed that they were a mixture of modern human and ape bones that had been treated to look ancient.
PILTDOWN MAN
Meaning of PILTDOWN MAN in English
Oxford guide to British and American culture English vocabulary. Руководство по британской и американской культуре, Оксфордский английский словарь. 2005