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 condition, which affects orangutans similarly to how cystic fibrosis affects humans, required ongoing treatment for nearly half of his life, according to a statement posted on the Sacramento Zoo’s social media. — Reeti Malhotra july 1, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026

Crews with older kids will find lots to love on the island of Java, and enthralling encounters with Bornean orangutans via riverboat cruise in Kalimantan. — Kathryn Romeyn, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 June 2026

The Sacramento Zoo is mourning the death of Makan, its male Sumatran orangutan. — Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 30 June 2026

In this new study, a team from the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom analyzed recordings from four orangutans, two gorillas, four chimpanzees, three bonobos, two gorillas, and four humans. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 25 June 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