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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.
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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.
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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
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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
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
More from Merriam-Webster on great ape
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about great ape
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