great ape
noun
any of several apes of the family Pongidae, characterized by a relatively hairless face with protrusive lips and by hands with complex fingerprints and flat nails, including the gorilla, chimpanzee, and orangutan.
Origin of great ape
First recorded in 1945–50
Words nearby great ape
Definition for great ape (2 of 2)
ape
[ eyp ]
/ eɪp /
noun
any of a group of anthropoid primates characterized by long arms, a broad chest, and the absence of a tail, comprising the family Pongidae (great ape), which includes the chimpanzee, gorilla, and orangutan, and the family Hylobatidae (lesser ape), which includes the gibbon and siamang.
(loosely) any primate except humans.
an imitator; mimic.
Informal.
a big, ugly, clumsy person.
verb (used with object), aped, ap·ing.
to imitate; mimic: to ape another's style of writing.
Origin of ape
before 900; Middle English; Old English
apa; cognate with Old Saxon
apo, Old Norse
api, Old High German
affo (German
Affe)
OTHER WORDS FROM ape
ape·like, adjectiveBritish Dictionary definitions for great ape (1 of 2)
ape
/ (eɪp) /
noun
any of various primates, esp those of the family Pongidae, in which the tail is very short or absent
See anthropoid ape See also great ape
(not in technical use)
any monkey
an imitator; mimic
US informal
a coarse, clumsy, or rude person
verb
(tr)
to imitate
Derived forms of ape
apelike, adjectiveWord Origin for ape
Old English
apa; related to Old Saxon
ape, Old Norse
api, Old High German
affo
British Dictionary definitions for great ape (2 of 2)
great ape
noun
any of the larger anthropoid apes, such as the chimpanzee, orang-utan, or gorilla
Scientific definitions for great ape
great ape
[ grāt ]
See anthropoid ape.