baboon
Americannoun
-
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.
-
a coarse, ridiculous, or brutish person, especially one of low intelligence.
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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
How does baboon compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
See Examples For:
Indeed, the Jane Goodall Institute now runs a longstanding baboon research project based partly on the fact that baboons are important chimpanzee prey.
From Salon ● Oct. 1, 2025
A few of Bischoff’s early taxidermy pieces are still on display, including a dog, which looks more like a cross between a wolf and a baboon, dating to the 1920s.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2025
"The possibility that T. rex might have been as intelligent as a baboon is fascinating and terrifying, with the potential to reinvent our view of the past," concluded Dr Darren Naish.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 29, 2024
In 1984 an infant known as Baby Fae received a baboon heart and lived for three weeks before her immune system rejected the organ.
From Scientific American ● Oct. 19, 2023
“The baboon will press the lever at a very steady rate. ‘Is the food there yet, is the food there yet?’
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
Living in nomadic groups, the men use handmade bows and arrows to hunt Cape buffalo, baboons and the rodent-like hyrax.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 9, 2026
Other wild animals like elephants and baboons also feature in the new series, which is narrated by Sir David Attenborough.
From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2025
Goodall, in removing the barriers, raised primatology to new heights, opening the way for research on subjects ranging from political coalitions among baboons to the use of deception by an array of primates.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2025
That would mean they had more neurons than baboons, with perhaps even enough intelligence to use tools — the T. rex's notoriously tiny arms notwithstanding.
From Salon ● May 4, 2024
Yow really have to stop following baboons around and work on the boat, said Mother as Nhamo buried her nose in the comforting bag.
From "A Girl Named Disaster" 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.
