Humanoid


 * Not to be confused with near-human.

Humanoid was a term that had both a general and a highly specific meaning.

Most commonly, humanoid was a taxonomic term that broadly described a species. A humanoid species was thought of as one which was bilaterally symmetrical, bipedal, and possessed of a naturally upright posture. Such species also typically had two arms, two legs, one thorax, a neck and head with a brain located in it. Humanoids of this description were very common in the universe. (DWN: Galaxy Four)

Daleks, however, sometimes employed a more precise definition for the term. To them the word humanoid could mean a human who had undergone a mind-controlling surgical procedure. Thus humanoid could mean a person who outwardly appeared perfectly human but who was in fact under the control of the Daleks. (DWA: City of the Daleks, The Humanoids, The Outlaw Planet, Sara Kingdom: Space Security Agent)

Humanoid self-identification
Some species readily identified as humanoid. For instance Repple once told the Ninth Doctor and Rose that his race, the Katurians, were "humanoid, but not human". (NSA: The Clockwise Man)

Opinions of non-humanoids
Non-humanoids sometimes opined about humanoids. Daleks thought of taxonomic humanoids as excellent source of concentrated protein (DW: Revelation of the Daleks) and as useful work machines with little other value. (DW: Destiny of the Daleks) The Mantasphid Queen once called them "fleshy bipeds". (DW: The Infinite Quest) And at least one Rill believed that the humanoid form was poorly adapted and led to a shorter lifespan. (DWN: Galaxy Four)

Theories as to the ubiquity of humanoids
One of the more popular theories about why there were so many humanoid species is that the evolution of Gallifreyans relatively early in the history of the universe caused a morphic field for the humanoid form that resonated across the universe and influenced the development of later species in a similar direction. (NA: Lucifer Rising)

Another implies that Rassilon seeded the early planets with biogenic molecules that would develop into humanoids, specifically ones which resembled Gallifreyans. (BFA: Zagreus)

Dalek humanoids
Daleks sometimes employed a much more precise definition to the word "humanoid". A humanoid was an adapted lifeform they created when they used a schizoid accelerator to remove a human's ego, and then implanted a Skaro mesmeristor into the subject's brain. In this way, they were able to completely control a human. Venusian Jeff Stone once observed a demonstration of the procedure in the so-called "Anatomy Room" on Skaro, and brought the term back for use amongst his fellow humans. (DWA: City of the Daleks) Later, Jeff, his brother and his sister fell prey to a humanoid attack on the planet Mars. (DWA: The Humanoids)

Sara Kingdom once opined that anyone who landed on the planet Vara would instantly be converted into a humanoid by the Daleks. (DWA: Sara Kingdom: Space Security Agent)