orangutan

noun

orang·​u·​tan ə-ˈraŋ-ə-ˌtaŋ 

-ˈraŋ-gə-,

-ˌtan 

: any of several largely herbivorous arboreal anthropoid 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

Discovered in the ultramafic mountains in central Sabah, the species was named for the orangutan, due to its hairs’ striking resemblance to the great ape’s long, dark, rusty-red hair. —Grrlscientist, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024

Recent research has indicated that tool use may have very deep roots among hominoids—the group of primates that includes gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans, gibbons, bonobos and humans. —Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 6 Jan. 2025

Preverbal infants, orangutans, and all other creatures incapable of language are, by implication, powerless to perform many basic mental operations. —Manvir Singh, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024

Luckily for her, the pair plans to lead a trip to see orangutans in Borneo in September. —Hannah Freedman, People.com, 20 Dec. 2024

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