great ape

[ greyt eyp ]

noun

1. any extant or extinct member of the family Hominidae, or hominids: its extant species include humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans.

great ape

noun

1. any of the larger anthropoid apes, such as the chimpanzee, orang-utan, or gorilla

great ape

/ grāt /

1. See anthropoid ape

Word History and Origins

Origin of great ape¹

First recorded in 1770–75

Example Sentences

Generation times in wild chimpanzees and gorillas suggest earlier divergence times in great ape and human evolution.

From Nautilus

Like other great apes, bonobos build elevated nests out of tree branches and foliage to sleep in.

From Science News

All great apes build nests, and nest counts are used to estimate those animals’ numbers too.

From Science News

Some claim they’re on par with great apes and humans—maybe even smarter.

From Quartz

Even after ancient humans took their first steps out of Africa, they still unexpectedly may have possessed brains more like those of great apes than modern humans, a new study suggests.

From Science News

They found that 60 percent of plantations overlapped with great ape habitat across the entire area.

From The Daily Beast

They also caught a great ape, whose head was covered with long hair, mixed black and white.

From Project Gutenberg

The great ape caught it deftly; and Grôm, to preserve his balance, had to let the spear be wrenched from his hand.

From Project Gutenberg

The shaft had caught the great ape under the center of the jaw, far back at the throat, and pierced straight up to the brain.

From Project Gutenberg

The great ape on the path ahead cowered back, bearing his fangs, roaring in anger.

From Project Gutenberg

He reached it, reared to his full height, and gazed into the glass—at the reflection of Manape, the great ape of the cage!

From Project Gutenberg