chimpanzee

noun

chim·​pan·​zee (ˌ)chim-ˌpan-ˈzē 

-pən-ˈzē,

-ˈpan-zē 

 sometimes  (ˌ)shim-

: an anthropoid ape (Pan troglodytes) of equatorial Africa that is smaller and more arboreal than the gorilla compare bonobo

Illustration of chimpanzee

Examples of chimpanzee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Ethanol ingestion via frugivory in wild chimpanzees. —Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025

Wild chimpanzees may hold the answer. —Julia Gomez, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025

Daily dose of ethanol Researchers studied chimpanzees at Ngogo in Uganda and Taï in the Ivory Coast. —Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2025

In Tanzania, visitors can see wild chimpanzees, huge lion prides, the incredible mass birthing of wildebeest in late February and early March, and dense concentrations of elephants in the dry season from June to October. —Kent Redding, Travel + Leisure, 10 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Kongo dialect chimpenzi

First Known Use

1738, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing chimpanzee

• pygmy chimpanzee

Rhymes for chimpanzee

• mansi
• pansy
• tansy

Kids Definition

chimpanzee

noun

chim·​pan·​zee ˌchim-ˌpan-ˈzē  ˌshim- 

chim-ˈpan-zē,

shim-

: an African ape that is related to the gorilla but is smaller and spends more of its time in trees

Medical Definition

chimpanzee

noun

chim·​pan·​zee ˌchim-ˌpan-ˈzē  ˌshim- 

-pən-; chim-ˈpan-zē,

shim-

: an anthropoid ape of the genus Pan (P. troglodytes) found in equatorial Africa that is smaller and more arboreal than the gorilla see bonobo