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

By studying modern primates that can fully metabolize alcohol (e.g., gorillas, chimps, bonobos) and those that can’t (e.g., orangutans and gibbons), scientists re-created and tested ancestral versions of the enzymes to see at what point the genetic divergence occurred. —Literary Hub, 7 Jan. 2026

Although rhinos are the star attraction on park safaris, all sorts of animals live here, including tigers, elephants, gibbons, sloth bears, and a small number of endangered Ganges River dolphins. —Margot Bigg, Travel + Leisure, 1 Jan. 2026

Elsewhere, officials seized over 1,000 birds in Brazil, pangolins in Laos, Egyptian tortoises in Thailand, gibbons and cuscuses in Malaysia, and shipments of hatching eggs in Australia. —Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 17 Dec. 2025

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