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

Bubbles Didn’t Enter The Picture That Early In one of the moist unintentionally hilarious moments in the movie, Michael shocks his family by adopting a CGI baby chimpanzee named Bubbles sometime around 1979. —Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 25 Apr. 2026

And while there are multiple sequences showcasing Michael (played by his real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson) frolicking with his beloved chimpanzee Bubbles, the allegations of pedophilia against MJ are never once mentioned. —Chris Lee, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2026

This makes the country the only place in East Africa in which to see gorillas (in Volcanoes NP), chimpanzees (in Nyungwe NP), and lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and white and black rhino, alongside plains game and over 550 species of birds (in Akagera NP). —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026

Experts compare this geophagy frequency to that of lemurs and chimpanzees, who ingest dirt for mineral intake and to ease plant toxins. —Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 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