orang-utan

/ ˌɔːræŋˈuːtæn; ɔːˌræŋuːˈtæn; ɔːˌræŋuːˈtæŋ; ˌɔːræŋˈuːtæŋ /

noun

1. a large anthropoid ape, Pongo pygmaeus, of the forests of Sumatra and Borneo, with shaggy reddish-brown hair and strong arms Sometimes shortened toorang

Word History and Origins

Origin of orang-utan¹

C17: from Malay orang hutan, from ōrang man + hūtan forest

Example Sentences

"Sometimes, a little photograph of a polar bear or an orang-utan, or a little bit of video of a seal in Northumberland, just twigs someone's brain to think they're really worth caring for," he said.

From BBC

The film puts everyday conversations into the mouths of animals including an orang-utan, lemurs and an orca.

From BBC

A year later, he would play the adult Piscine in Life of Pi - Ang Lee's film version of the Booker Prize-winning novel of a ship-wrecked boy forced to share a lifeboat with a zebra, an orang-utan and a ferocious Bengal tiger.

From BBC

They point to an incident in 2013 when a Lega Senator referred to Italy's first black minister, Cecile Kyenge, as "an orang-utan".

From BBC

This has led to the loss of biodiversity and habitat for under-threat animals such as the orang-utan.

From BBC