chimpanzee

[ chim-pan-zee, chim-pan-zee ]

noun

1. a very social great ape of sub-Saharan Africa, belonging to the genus Pan and having a brown-to-black coat, a relatively hairless face with a rounded muzzle, prominent ears, and hands adapted for knuckle-walking, and noted for its intelligence and humanlike behavior: both species, the common chimpanzee ( P. troglodytes ) and the bonobo ( P. paniscus ), are greatly reduced in number and considered endangered.

chimpanzee

/ ˌtʃɪmpænˈziː /

noun

1. a gregarious and intelligent anthropoid ape, Pan troglodytes, inhabiting forests in central W Africa

Word History and Origins

Origin of chimpanzee¹

First recorded in 1730–40; origin uncertain; possibly from Vili , a Bantu language spoken on the Atlantic coast between southern Gabon and northern Angola

Word History and Origins

Origin of chimpanzee¹

C18: from Kongo dialect

Example Sentences

But she spurned his advances and kept her focus on her work and her beloved chimpanzees.

From BBC

Only liberals are interested in listening to this "tone it down" advice, but when your opposition is coming at you with the fury of a deranged chimpanzee, turning the other cheek only gets you killed.

From Salon

As well as looking at the abilities of a single monkey, the study also did a series of calculations based on the current global population of chimpanzees, which is roughly 200,000.

From BBC

“It’s amazing how well Tonka is doing,” says the head of the Florida animal sanctuary where the chimpanzee now lives.

From Los Angeles Times

Gabon has vast unexplored forests, which are home to forest elephants, chimpanzees and gorillas, as well as many plants unknown to science.

From BBC

Related Words

• ape
• baboon
• gorilla
• lemur
• orangutan