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

The researchers also found reports of kissing in all great apes, from humans to chimpanzees to orangutans, with the exception of the eastern gorilla. —Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 19 Nov. 2025

Earlier this year, Thai police arrested a man after he was found with two baby orangutans in a basket at a gas station in Bangkok. —Kocha Olarn, CNN Money, 18 Nov. 2025

In May, Thai police arrested a man suspected of smuggling two baby orangutans into the kingdom. —CBS News, 17 Nov. 2025

Mother orangutans take this time to teaching their young how to survive, including through their diet and avoiding predators. —Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025

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