lesser ape

[ les-er eyp ]

noun

1. any member of the four genera of gibbons that make up the family Hylobatidae.

Word History and Origins

Origin of lesser ape¹

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

It is called the lesser ape to distinguish it from great apes like gorillas and chimpanzees, but the gibbon is remarkable in its agility.

From New York Times