ape

[eyp]

noun

any of a group of anthropoid primates characterized by long arms, a broad chest, and the absence of a tail, comprising the family Pongidae (great ape), which includes the chimpanzee, gorilla, and orangutan, and the family Hylobatidae (lesser ape), which includes the gibbon and siamang.
(loosely) any primate except humans.
an imitator; mimic.

Informal. a big, ugly, clumsy person.

verb (used with object), aped, ap·ing.

to imitate; mimic: to ape another's style of writing.

Idioms

go ape, Slang. to become violently emotional: When she threatened to leave him, he went ape.
go ape over, Slang. to be extremely enthusiastic about: They go ape over old rock music.

Origin of ape

before 900; Middle English; Old English apa; cognate with Old Saxon apo, Old Norse api, Old High German affo (German Affe)

Related formsape·like, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for apelike

Historical Examples of apelike

The apelike Pascual, his face a study in curiosity, drew alongside.
The Wolf Cub
Patrick Casey
Suspicion growing in his glance, the apelike one continued to eye him.
The Wolf Cub
Patrick Casey
He went expertly, swinging from car to car with apelike clumsiness—and surety.
Gunman's Reckoning
Max Brand
Gazing into the darkness, she knew that her stare was apelike.
Hilda Lessways
Arnold Bennett
The big, apelike thug who was holding the shotgun had a chance to pull the trigger once more, but he wasn't aiming very well.
That Sweet Little Old Lady
Gordon Randall Garrett (AKA Mark Phillips)

British Dictionary definitions for apelike

ape

noun

any of various primates, esp those of the family Pongidae, in which the tail is very short or absentSee anthropoid ape See also great ape
(not in technical use) any monkey
an imitator; mimic
US informal a coarse, clumsy, or rude person

verb

(tr) to imitate

Derived Formsapelike, adjective

Word Origin for ape

Old English apa; related to Old Saxon ape, Old Norse api, Old High German affo

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

Word Origin and History for apelike

ape

Old English apa "ape, monkey," from Proto-Germanic *apan (cf. Old Saxon apo, Old Norse api, Dutch aap, German affe), perhaps borrowed in Proto-Germanic from Celtic (cf. Old Irish apa) or Slavic (cf. Old Bohemian op, Slovak opitza), perhaps ultimately from a non-Indo-European language.

Apes were noted in medieval times for mimicry of human action, hence, perhaps, the other figurative use of the word, to mean "a fool." To go ape (in emphatic form, go apeshit) "go crazy" is 1955, U.S. slang. To lead apes in hell (1570s) was the fancied fate of one who died an old maid.

ape

"to imitate," 1630s, but the notion is implied earlier, e.g. to play the ape (1570s), Middle English apeshipe "ape-like behavior, simulation" (mid-15c.); and the noun sense of "one who mimics" may date from early 13c. Related: Aped; aping.