orangutan

noun

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orang·u·tan | \ ə-ˈraŋ-ə-ˌtaŋ

, -ˈraŋ-gə-, -ˌtan

Definition of orangutan

: a largely herbivorous arboreal anthropoid ape (Pongo pygmaeus) of Borneo and Sumatra that is about ²/₃ as large as the gorilla and has brown skin, long sparse reddish-brown hair, and very long arms

Examples of orangutan in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web After dropping her sunglasses in the orangutan enclosure, Tetsu assumed they were gone for good. — Cailey Rizzo, Travel + Leisure, 4 Aug. 2021 The Phoenix Zoo has lost one of its own: Daniel, a 15-year-old male Bornean orangutan who has called the desert home for nearly eight years. — Kimi Robinson, The Arizona Republic, 30 July 2021 In 2016, an orangutan named Rocky at the Indianapolis Zoo was recorded mimicking human speech. — Cailey Rizzo, Travel + Leisure, 4 Aug. 2021 The Cleveland Zoo recently welcomed a newborn orangutan, which was born on April 28. — Michael Norman, cleveland, 4 June 2021 The government has clamped down on unwelcome research into deforestation, forest fires, and threats to a rare orangutan population, for example. — Dyna Rochmyaningsih, Science | AAAS, 28 Apr. 2021 To make this image of a Bornean orangutan in Tanjung Puting National Park, the photographer climbed a tree and waited. — Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 9 Mar. 2021 The Cleveland Zoo recently welcomed a newborn orangutan, which was born on April 28. — Michael Norman, cleveland, 4 June 2021 An orangutan stumbled into a remote Indonesian village and was welcomed with open arms. — Gabriela Miranda, USA TODAY, 17 June 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'orangutan.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

4 Sep 2021

Cite this Entry

“Orangutan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/orangutan. Accessed 23 Sep. 2021.

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More Definitions for orangutan

orangutan

noun

English Language Learners Definition of orangutan

: a large ape that has very long arms and reddish-brown hair

See the full definition for orangutan in the English Language Learners Dictionary

orangutan

noun

orang·utan | \ ə-ˈraŋ-ə-ˌtaŋ

, -ˌtan \

Kids Definition of orangutan

: a large ape of Borneo and Sumatra that lives in trees, eats mostly fruit, leaves, and other plant matter, and has very long arms, long reddish brown hair, and a nearly hairless face