bonobo

noun

bo·​no·​bo bə-ˈnō-bō  ˈbä-nə-bō 

-nō-

plural bonobos

: a rare great ape (Pan paniscus) that has a more slender build and longer limbs than the related common chimpanzee (P. troglodytes) and that inhabits a small geographic region in equatorial Africa south of the Congo River

called also pygmy chimpanzee

Examples of bonobo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Together, the findings in chimpanzees and bonobos suggest a rudimentary form of syntax, the rules that govern word order in human language and give it flexibility and creativity. —Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 3 June 2026

The apes’ close relatives, bonobos, however, were more laissez-faire and rarely stepped in. —Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 10 May 2026

Because chimpanzees and bonobos are the closest genetic relatives to people, Mitani and Sandel think their findings offer lessons for humanity. —Evan Bush, NBC news, 9 Apr. 2026

The bonobo, a great ape, broke the interior pane of the exhibit glass on Feb. 26, the Memphis Zoo said in a statement later that evening. —Saleen Martin, USA Today, 3 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1955, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

bonobo

noun

bo·​no·​bo bə-ˈnō-bō; ˈbä-nə-bō  -nō- 

: a rare anthropoid ape of the genus Pan (P. paniscus) that has a more slender build and longer limbs than the related common chimpanzee (P. troglodytes)

called also pygmy chimpanzee