orangutan

noun

orang·​u·​tan ə-ˈraŋ-ə-ˌtaŋ 

-ˈraŋ-gə-, 

-ˌtan 

: any of several largely herbivorous arboreal great apes (Pongo pygmaeus, P. abelii, and P. tapanuliensis) of Borneo and Sumatra that are about ²/₃ as large as the gorilla and have brown skin, long sparse reddish-brown hair, and very long arms

Illustration of orangutan

Examples of orangutan in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Visitors to the Denver Zoo will have the chance to see the newborn orangutan with his mom, Hesty. —Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 18 June 2026

The analysis found 58 Tapanuli orangutans were killed, accounting for 11% of the local population and 7% of the total global population. —Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 16 June 2026

The animals, including Rosie the elephant, a lion named Rex, an orangutan named Agnes and a dog named Queenie, are portrayed either with puppets or with circus performers wearing elaborate costumes. —Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 4 June 2026

The zookeepers will also follow Hesty’s instincts before introducing the baby to the other orangutans at the zoo. —Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 30 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Bazaar Malay (Malay-based pidgin), from Malay orang man + hutan forest

First Known Use

1691, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

orangutan

noun

orang·​utan

ə-ˈraŋ-ə-ˌtaŋ, 

-ˌtan

: a large anthropoid ape of Borneo and Sumatra that is about ⅔ as large as a gorilla, eats mostly plants, lives in trees, and has very long arms, long thin reddish brown hair, and a nearly hairless face