mountain gorilla

noun

See under gorilla.

Words nearby mountain gorilla

mountain dew, mountain ebony, mountain everlasting, mountain fetterbush, mountain goat, mountain gorilla, mountain holly fern, mountain laurel, mountain lion, mountain magnolia, mountain mahogany

Definition for mountain gorilla (2 of 2)

gorilla
[ guh-ril-uh ]
/ gəˈrɪl ə /

noun

the largest of the anthropoid apes, Gorilla gorilla, terrestrial and vegetarian, of western equatorial Africa and the Kivu highlands, comprising the subspecies G. g. gorilla (western lowland gorilla), G. g. graueri (eastern lowland gorilla), and G. g. beringei (mountain gorilla): now rare.
an ugly, brutish person.
Slang. a hoodlum or thug, especially one who threatens or inflicts violence.

Origin of gorilla

1790–1800; < New Latin < Greek Goríllās (accusative plural) name for the females of a hairy tribe encountered in Hanno's account of his voyage along the coast of Africa (5th century b.c.)

OTHER WORDS FROM gorilla

go·ril·la·like, adjective go·ril·li·an, go·ril·line [guh-ril-ahyn, -in] /gəˈrɪl aɪn, -ɪn/, adjective go·ril·loid, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH gorilla

gorilla guerrilla

British Dictionary definitions for mountain gorilla

gorilla
/ (ɡəˈrɪlə) /

noun

the largest anthropoid ape, Gorilla gorilla, inhabiting the forests of central W Africa. It is stocky and massive, with a short muzzle and coarse dark hair
informal a large, strong, and brutal-looking man

Derived forms of gorilla

gorilla-like, adjective gorillian or gorilline (ɡəˈrɪlaɪn), adjective gorilloid, adjective

Word Origin for gorilla

C19: New Latin, from Greek Gorillai, an African tribe renowned for their hirsute appearance