anthropoid ape

American  

[an-thruh-poid eyp] / ˈæn θrəˌpɔɪd ˈeɪp /

noun

1. any member of the former taxonomic suborder Anthropoidea, under which New World monkeys, Old World monkeys, and apes, including humans, were grouped: modern classification groups these under the suborder Haplorhini along with the tarsiers.

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anthropoid ape British  

noun

1. any primate of the family Pongidae, having no tail, elongated arms, and a highly developed brain. The group includes gibbons, orang-utans, chimpanzees, and gorillas

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anthropoid ape Scientific  

/ ăn′thrə-poid′ /

1. A primate belonging to the family Pongidae, which includes the chimpanzee, bonobo, gorilla, and orangutan. Orangutans are arboreal whereas the other three species are terrestrial or semiarboreal. Anthropoid apes move in trees mainly by arm-swinging and on the ground by quadrupedal walking in which the upper body weight is borne on the knuckles.

2. Also called great ape pongid

3. Compare hominid

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Etymology

Origin of anthropoid ape

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

anthropoid ape

Nimble, deft, sharp-sighted, he found a weak place in his prison, worked it open, and leaped forth upon the highway a free anthropoid ape.

From The Ape, the Idiot & Other People by Morrow, W. C.

He returned in a moment with an anthropoid ape in a cage.

From The Common Man by Schelling, George Luther

Taking the stand that such a partly carnivorous anthropoid ape, biped in structure, appeared and made the ground its usual place of residence, we find ourselves on the direct trail of man.

From Man And His Ancestor A Study In Evolution by Morris, Charles

The wonders of modern technical art are child's-play compared to the difficulties with which the anthropoid ape succeeded in making the first stone celt.

From Anarchism A Criticism and History of the Anarchist Theory by Zenker, Ernst Viktor

The hairs came from the shaggy coat of a giant anthropoid ape or a gorilla.

From The Mind Master by Burks, Arthur J.