baboon
Americannoun
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any of various large, terrestrial monkeys of the genus Papio and related genera, of Africa and Arabia, having a doglike muzzle, large cheek pouches, and a short tail.
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a coarse, ridiculous, or brutish person, especially one of low intelligence.
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of baboon
1275–1325; Middle English baboyne, babewyn grotesque figure, gargoyle, late Middle English: baboon (compare Anglo-Latin babevynus ) < Middle French babouin, akin to babine pendulous lip, derivative of an expressive base *bab- grimace
Compare meaning
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Explanation
A baboon is a type of African monkey. Baboons have long snouts that resemble dogs' muzzles. Baboons have thick fur, short tails, and prominent noses. They are ground-dwelling monkeys, and in the wild they form complex families and groups with higher- and lower-ranking members. If you visit a zoo with a primate area, you'll probably see baboons. The Old French word for baboon is baboin, or "ape," which might come from baboue, "muzzle" or "grimace."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Baboon mothers usually do not play with their babies.
From Science Daily • Mar. 14, 2024
The tweaked poplars had names like Kookaburra and Baboon, which indicated which “parent” tree they were cloned from, and were interspersed with a roughly equal number of unmodified trees.
From New York Times • Feb. 16, 2023
Peregrine Adventures launches its first cruise up the 700-mile river, with a stop at Baboon Island, home to hippos, crocodiles and chimpanzees, part of Africa’s longest-running center for rehabilitating chimpanzees into the wild.
From New York Times • Jan. 8, 2019
The Cat and the Baboon The cat had a party to attend, and went to the baboon to get herself groomed.
From The Guardian • Oct. 2, 2010
“Oh, she doesn’t like it,” said the Baboon Mask.
From "The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm" by Nancy Farmer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
