baboon

noun

ba·​boon ba-ˈbün 

chiefly British bə-

: any of a genus (Papio) of large gregarious primates of Africa and southwestern Asia having a long square naked muzzle

also : any of several closely related primates

Illustration of baboon

Examples of baboon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Wildebeest, elk, lions, pronghorns, snapping turtles, baboons, wolves, and warthogs wait, oozing, for their turn in the lineup. —Jeff Wilson, Outdoor Life, 11 Mar. 2026

At Neuras Wine and Wildlife Estate, on the edge of the Namib Desert, grapes are grown under netting to keep off hungry baboons, meaning there’s plenty for us tipple-loving primates to enjoy. —Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026

Monster bamboo, bougainvillea, and banana plants crashed in from the roadside; a tin roof sagged under the weight of a gaggle of marabou storks; baboons plundered trash cans at a highway intersection. —Flora Stubbs, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026

Primates were rumored to say goodbye at least a few times before Baehren and Carvalho’s study of Chacma baboons. —Shayla Love, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English babewin, from Middle French babouin, from baboue grimace

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing baboon

• baboon spider
• chacma baboon
• gelada baboon
• hamadryas baboon
• sacred baboon

Rhymes for baboon

• attune
• balloon
• bassoon
• buffoon
• cartoon
• cocoon
• festoon
• gaboon
• harpoon
• immune
• impugn
• jejune

Kids Definition

baboon

noun

ba·​boon ba-ˈbün 

: any of several large African and Asian monkeys having long squarish muzzles and usually short tails