chimp

American

[chimp] / tʃɪmp /

noun

Informal.

chimpanzee.

chimp British

/ tʃɪmp /

noun

informal short for chimpanzee

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of chimp

First recorded in 1875–80; by shortening

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.

In case it’s not clear, I was a Primate Girl, and a Chimp Girl more specifically.

From Slate • Oct. 1, 2025

Southgate also chose The Chimp Paradox by psychiatrist Professor Steve Peters, who has worked with a number of elite athletes, including British Cycling, snooker player Ronnie O'Sullivan and both Liverpool and England football teams.

From BBC • Dec. 21, 2024

"Chimp Crazy" begins airing Sunday, Aug. 18 at 9:45 p.m.

From Salon • Aug. 18, 2024

The buildings and enclosures at Chimp Haven are connected by a network of elevated mesh-enclosed passageways, or chutes, which are used to move chimps to different locations.

From New York Times • Aug. 8, 2023

Chimp opened his eyes as wide almost as his mouth.

From The Flamp, The Ameliorator, and The Schoolboy's Apprentice by Lucas, E. V. (Edward Verrall)

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023