chimpanzee

noun

chim·​pan·​zee (ˌ)chim-ˌpan-ˈzē How to pronounce chimpanzee (audio)
-pən-ˈzē,
-ˈpan-zē How to pronounce chimpanzee (audio)
 sometimes  (ˌ)shim-
: an anthropoid ape (Pan troglodytes) of equatorial Africa that is smaller and more arboreal than the gorilla compare bonobo

Illustration of chimpanzee

Illustration of chimpanzee

Examples of chimpanzee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Winston shared the complex with 20 other chimpanzees. Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 28 Aug. 2025 Once the fires have swept through, the chimpanzees have their pick of cooked critters on a charred landscape cleared of predators, just like the baboons in the forests of Uganda who have been seen foraging for cooked grasshoppers and shoots after fire passes by. Peter Brannen, Big Think, 28 Aug. 2025 Most known for its incredible gorilla trekking, Rwanda also offers several other wildlife spotting opportunities from the chance to see wild chimpanzees in Nyungwe National Park to looking for the Big Five in Akagera National Park. Katie Nadworny, Travel + Leisure, 26 Aug. 2025 The study finds that key aspects of chimpanzees' communication are shaped by social learning and interactions rather than strictly genetics, emphasizing the power of maternal influence. Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for chimpanzee

Word History

Etymology

Kongo dialect chimpenzi

First Known Use

1738, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chimpanzee was in 1738

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Cite this Entry

“Chimpanzee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chimpanzee. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

chimpanzee

noun
chim·​pan·​zee ˌchim-ˌpan-ˈzē How to pronounce chimpanzee (audio) ˌshim- How to pronounce chimpanzee (audio)
chim-ˈpan-zē,
shim-
: an African ape that is related to the gorilla but is smaller and spends more of its time in trees

Medical Definition

chimpanzee

noun
chim·​pan·​zee ˌchim-ˌpan-ˈzē How to pronounce chimpanzee (audio) ˌshim- How to pronounce chimpanzee (audio)
-pən-; chim-ˈpan-zē,
shim-
: an anthropoid ape of the genus Pan (P. troglodytes) found in equatorial Africa that is smaller and more arboreal than the gorilla see bonobo

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