gibbon

[ gib-uh n ]
/ ˈgɪb ən /

noun

any small, slender, long-armed arboreal anthropoid ape of the genus Hylobates, of the East Indies and southern Asia: all gibbon species are reduced in number and some are very rare.

Origin of gibbon

From French, dating back to 1760–70, name of uncertain origin used by Buffon

Definition for gibbon (2 of 2)

Gibbon
[ gib-uh n ]
/ ˈgɪb ən /

noun

Edward,1737–94, English historian.

Example sentences from the Web for gibbon

British Dictionary definitions for gibbon (1 of 2)

gibbon
/ (ˈɡɪbən) /

noun

any small agile arboreal anthropoid ape of the genus Hylobates, inhabiting forests in S Asia

Word Origin for gibbon

C18: from French, probably from an Indian dialect word

British Dictionary definitions for gibbon (2 of 2)

Gibbon
/ (ˈɡɪbən) /

noun

Edward. 1737–94, English historian; author of The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1776–88), controversial in its historical criticism of Christianity
Lewis Grassic (ˈɡræsɪk), real name James Leslie Mitchell . 1901–35, Scottish writer: best known for his trilogy of novels Scots Quair (1932–34)