gibbon

noun

gib·​bon ˈgi-bən 

: any of a family (Hylobatidae) of agile brachiating tailless apes of southeastern Asia that are the smallest and most arboreal anthropoid apes

Illustration of gibbon

Examples of gibbon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There were no observations of kissing in gibbons. —Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 19 Nov. 2025

Forget the giraffes, gibbons and leopards. —CBS News, 18 Nov. 2025

John Mitani is a professor emeritus of anthropology at the University of Michigan, whose studies over 45 years have included wild chimpanzees in Uganda and Tanzania; gibbons and orangutans in Indonesia, gorillas in Rwanda, and bonobos in the Democratic Republic of Congo. —Keith Matheny, Freep.com, 9 Sep. 2025

The stipulation ended about two and a half years ago, Fisher said, and the zoo now has about 35 monkeys, ranging from larger white-handed gibbons to pygmy marmosets, one of the smallest monkey species. —Lillian Ashworth, Oc Register, 18 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

French

First Known Use

1774, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gibbon

• ribbon
• inhibin

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

Gibbon

biographical name

Gib·​bon ˈgi-bən 

Edward 1737–1794 English historian

Gibbonesque

ˌgi-bə-ˈnesk 

adjective

or Gibbonian

gi-ˈbō-nē-ən