great ape

noun

: any of several large primates including the orangutan, gorilla, chimpanzee, and bonobo that are either placed in the same family (Hominidae) as humans or are grouped in a separate family (Pongidae)

Examples of great ape in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web While most animals did not pass Gallup's test, some did, including dolphins, great apes (gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans, and bonobos), and magpies. David Faris, Newsweek, 10 July 2024 Human demand for bush meat, land, and palm oil is driving every species of African and Asian great ape into oblivion. Steven M. Wise, Foreign Affairs, 11 July 2016 That is an extremely high bar, though, and there are some pretty great apes: Teague's Noa grows on you because of his plight while Macon makes Raka a scene-stealing hoot with a kind soul. Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 14 May 2024 Modern human brains are about threefold larger than those of our earliest hominin ancestors and living great ape relatives. Chet C. Sherwood, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2018 See all Example Sentences for great ape 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'great ape.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1771, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of great ape was in 1771

Dictionary Entries Near great ape

Cite this Entry

“Great ape.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/great%20ape. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

great ape

noun
: any of a family of apes that includes the gorilla, orangutan, and chimpanzee

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