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great ape
noun
plural great apes
: any of several large primates including the orangutan, gorilla, chimpanzee, and bonobo that are classified in the same family (Hominidae) as humans
Examples of great ape in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Well, a February study also by Isabelle Laumer and colleagues found that great apes like to tease, poke and pester each other too.
—Ryan McRae, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Dec. 2024
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
Taxonomic classification puts humans in the order Primates (apes, monkeys, and lemurs) and in the family Hominidae (great apes), which, in addition to humans, includes chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, and orangutans.
—Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 20 Dec. 2024
In April a bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill, the Great Ape Protection and Cost Savings Act, to prohibit invasive research on great apes, including chimps.
—The Editors, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2011
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Word History
First Known Use
1771, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near great ape
Cite this Entry
“Great ape.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/great%20ape. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
Kids Definition
great ape
noun
: any of a family of apes that includes the gorilla, orangutan, and chimpanzee
More from Merriam-Webster on great ape
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about great ape
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