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: any of a family (Hylobatidae) of agile brachiating tailless apes of southeastern Asia that are the smallest and most arboreal anthropoid apes
Examples of gibbon in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And although an earlier Scientific Reports study described female gibbons in China dancing to compete for male attention, the apes in this new study danced in a variety of contexts and even directed their performances toward human keepers.
—Phie Jacobs, science.org, 17 Sep. 2024
According to a recent article from conservation news site Mongabay, for every one gibbon that becomes a pet, seven are killed in the wild to acquire it.
—Megan Ross, Chicago Tribune, 13 Sep. 2024
The macaws close to the parking lot were raucous and talkative and the gibbons further in the park were loudly singing.
—The Indianapolis Star, 8 Apr. 2024
At Stone Zoo, that includes the jaguar, snow leopards, black bears and white-cheeked gibbons.
—Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 21 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for gibbon
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gibbon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
French
First Known Use
1774, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near gibbon
Cite this Entry
“Gibbon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gibbon. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
Kids Definition
gibbon
noun
gib·bon
ˈgib-ən
: any of several tailless apes of southeastern Asia that are smaller and spend more time in trees than the gorilla, chimpanzee, and orangutan
Biographical Definition
More from Merriam-Webster on gibbon
Nglish: Translation of gibbon for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gibbon
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