great ape

noun

plural great apes

: any of several large primates including the orangutan, gorilla, chimpanzee, and bonobo that are classified in the same family (Hominidae) as humans

Examples of great ape in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Your explanation really begins with Lucy, the first of our ancestors who could not give birth unassisted and would have had a more difficult early motherhood than modern great apes. —Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2025

The Origin of Human Language The discovery not only offers a fascinating insight into the lives of these great apes but could help explain the development of human language. —Rosie McCall, Discover Magazine, 12 May 2025

Perhaps the gorilla has a chance if its opponents were staggered, in a series of one-on-one battles until one of the men defeats the great ape. —Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025

The effortless, terrifying strength of our great ape cousins seems to horrify and fascinate us, but gorillas are better known in the natural world as gentle giants. —Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1771, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for great ape

• agape
• escape
• landscape
• lenape
• reshape
• seascape
• soundscape
• audiotape
• videotape
• cape
• crape
• crepe

Kids Definition

great ape

noun

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