chimpanzee

noun

chim·​pan·​zee (ˌ)chim-ˌpan-ˈzē 

-pən-ˈzē, 

-ˈpan-zē 

sometimes (ˌ)shim-

: a great ape (Pan troglodytes) of equatorial Africa that is smaller and more arboreal than the gorilla compare bonobo

Illustration of chimpanzee

Examples of chimpanzee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Liberia has the second-highest number of chimpanzees in West Africa, after Guinea. — ABC News, 5 Sep. 2026

Conversations with chimpanzees and gorillas aren’t exactly rich in metaphor and critical analysis. — Mike McRae 02, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026

Such behavior has previously been seen in animals including chimpanzees, pigs, and dolphins, who have been observed teaching family members how to get food with different types of tools. — Isabel Gil, Scientific American, 3 Sep. 2026

The 9-year-old chimpanzee is the youngest primate at the sanctuary and, before arriving there, had never met another chimp. — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Kongo dialect chimpenzi

First Known Use

1738, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing chimpanzee

• pygmy chimpanzee

Rhymes for chimpanzee

• mansi
• pansy
• tansy

Kids Definition

chimpanzee

noun

chim·​pan·​zee ˌchim-ˌpan-ˈzē  ˌshim- 

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  ˌshim- 

-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