Illustration of orangutan
orangutan
noun
orang·u·tan
ə-ˈraŋ-ə-ˌtaŋ 
-ˈraŋ-gə-,
-ˌtan
: any of several largely herbivorous arboreal anthropoid apes (Pongo pygmaeus, P. abelii, and P. tapanuliensis) of Borneo and Sumatra that are about ²/₃ as large as the gorilla and have brown skin, long sparse reddish-brown hair, and very long arms
Examples of orangutan in a Sentence
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Biruté Mary Galdikas, known for her 40 years of research on Borneo’s orangutans, kept in touch with Goodall for more than 50 years, USA TODAY reported.
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Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
While Goodall focused on chimps, Dian Fossey studied gorillas and Birutė Galdikas studied orangutans.
—Tricia Escobedo, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Galdikas spent 50 years studying the orangutans of Indonesian Borneo in their native habitat.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
In statements, animal care specialists Christa Klein and Kirstin Prunchak described the orangutan’s playful, curious and brave nature.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 24 Sep. 2025
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Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
While Goodall focused on chimps, Dian Fossey studied gorillas and Birutė Galdikas studied orangutans.
—Tricia Escobedo, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Galdikas spent 50 years studying the orangutans of Indonesian Borneo in their native habitat.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
In statements, animal care specialists Christa Klein and Kirstin Prunchak described the orangutan’s playful, curious and brave nature.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for orangutan
Cite this Entry
“Orangutan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/orangutan. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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