primatologist

American  

[prahy-muh-tahl-uhj-ist] / ˌpraɪ məˈtɑl ədʒ ɪst /

noun

1. a scientist or expert in the field of primatology.

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Explanation

A primatologist is a scientist who studies apes, monkeys, and the other mammals that belong to the same order as human beings. If you're fascinated by chimps and orangutans, you may decide to become a primatologist. Being a primatologist means specializing within the field of zoology, focusing on primates. We can thank primatologists for most of what we know about gorillas, lorises, lemurs, baboons, and other primates. Scientists classify this order of mammals as "the highest" among all animals, and the Latin root of primate and primatologist means "of the first rank."

Example Sentences

“We’ve known for a long time that chimpanzees will attack and kill their neighbors,” said primatologist John Mitani, professor emeritus at the University of Michigan and a study co-author.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

The research was carried out by primatologist Professor Anna Nekaris OBE of Anglia Ruskin University along with collaborators from the conservation group Plumploris e.V. and the University of Western Australia.

From Science Daily • Mar. 3, 2026

Now, 25 years after starting her pioneering research on savannah chimps, which had never before been habituated to observers, primatologist Jill Pruetz has a wealth of data.

From Barron's • Jan. 15, 2026

She met leading primatologist Prof Louis Leakey while staying on a friend's farm in Kenya in her mid-twenties.

From BBC • Oct. 1, 2025

Each weighing about 20 pounds and known for their sand-colored fluffy tails, the monkeys that inhabit this island today are descendants of those brought over by primatologist Clarence Carpenter in the late 1930s.

From Salon • Mar. 16, 2025